Medical workers collect samples for nucleic acid tests at a sampling site in Fengtai District of Beijing, capital of China, June 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Beijing's Chaoyang district has called for the promotion of facial recognition technology, automatic temperature checking facilities and other hi-tech measures to strengthen local COVID-19 prevention and control, as the capital faced a grim situation after 106 confirmed cases have been reported since June 11. 

The epidemic prevention and control situation is very grim in Beijing, and the whole of Chaoyang district must seize this critical time to focus on possible risks and weak links and try its best to block the transmission routes of the virus, according to the COVID-19 prevention and control meeting of Chaoyang district on Monday night, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Tuesday. 

The meeting called for stronger investigation and screening of vegetable and wholesale markets in the district and the expansion of nucleic acid testing to dealers and market management personnel. The meeting also asked for the establishment of a management mechanism for products in markets to trace their origin, and the promotion of facial recognition and automatic temperature checking technologies in markets to improve epidemic prevention and control. 

Local authorities are urging strengthened supervision over canteens in kindergartens, schools, and nursing homes and management of nightclubs, bars and hotels to strictly implement epidemic prevention measures. 

Global Times