A medical worker in Beijing's Ditan Hospital talks to a COVID-19 patient in hospital bed on Tuesday. Photo: Cui Meng/GT

Medical workers have observed that some COVID-19 patients in Beijing have developed atypical symptoms such as joint discomfort. 

Ma Yanfang, head of the medical affairs department of Beijing Ditan Hospital, said that it is normal for novel coronavirus patients to have "strange" symptoms, as the virus is new and needs observation and study. 

COVID-19 patients worldwide have reported strange symptoms such as stomach discomfort, and different weather, living habits and body types may also result in symptoms varying in different regions, Ma told the Beijing News on Tuesday. 

The coronavirus could invade different organ systems of the human body, and we need to sharpen our attention to detect possible infections, Ma said. 

As for the reasons why there are so many mild cases in Beijing in this outbreak, Ma said that this time, it has been mainly young people who were infected, and their infections have been controlled at an early stage. 

Beijing reported 31 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday morning, bringing the total to 137 since June 11. 

Genome sequencing of the strain of the coronavirus which caused the new COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing at the Xinfadi wholesale market shows it originated from Europe. 

Beijing raised its COVID-19 emergency response to Level 2 from Level 3 on Tuesday night, reinstating closed managements on communities.

Global Times