Dealers at the Xinfadi market have their information registered on Friday. Beijing authorities shut down the market after new COVID-19 cases linked the market. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Three consecutive days of newly confirmed cases being reported in Beijing prompted at least two nearby provinces to track residents who had been to or had any connection with the Xinfadi Market. 

All districts in Beijing, cities and counties in Tianjin and Hebei Province issued notices to residents, requiring them to report for nucleic acid testing if they had travelled to Beijing Xinfadi Market and Beijing-Shenzhen seafood markets.

Beijing health authorities on Sunday reported another 36 confirmed cases, bringing the total number of active confirmed cases in the capital city to 43 as of press time. 

Districts in Beijing have required residents to report their related travel history for the last two weeks, and some districts in Tianjin asked people to report if they had been to any of the six major food markets in Beijing that were closed due to confirmed cases. 

Cities in Hebei Province that are close to Hebei Xinfadi Market, such as Dingzhou, Gaobeidian and Langfang, also required people to report if they had any travel or contact experience with the Beijing Xinfadi Market. 

The Beijing Xinfadi Market is one of the shareholders of Hebei Xinfadi Market, which is located in Gaobeidian, Hebei. The Hebei Xinfadi Market is an important food supply platform for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. 

As of press time, no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 had been found in Hebei Xinfadi Market.

The Beijing Xinfadi Market became a new COVID-19 hot spot after confirmed cases reported in the capital city in the last two days were all traced back to the city's largest vegetables market. 

The novel coronavirus was detected on chopping boards used by a seller of imported salmon at Xinfadi market, and 40 environmental samples collected from the market also tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, 45 people who work at the market tested positive for the virus.

Global Times