Medical workers collect throat swabs from construction workers at a construction site in Dongcheng district of Beijing, capital of China, June 17, 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development vowed on Monday to expand testing of those who are at high risk of infection. The notice comes after three workers at two different construction sites tested positive for the virus.

The commission said people who had direct contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients, construction workers who have been to virus-contaminated food markets and their workmates are requested to take nucleic testing.

Kitchen staff, delivery and service workers, cleaners and security guards at the construction sites are to be tested.

Construction projects in medium to high-risk areas in Beijing, and key national and municipal construction projects should carry out full testing for their employees. 

The municipal housing and urban-rural development authority will establish an emergency response mechanism for nucleic testing, and local housing departments are responsible for supervising those who are required to be tested.

The commission is also discouraging construction workers who live on-site from going to public places or travelling. Workers who have an urgent need to leave the site should receive approval from their project managers, and will need to provide a detailed record of their travels including destinations, form of transportation and the names of people they came in contact with.

The projects, where infected cases were found, are requested to stop running immediately and cannot resume work until the local health authorities eliminate the epidemic risks.

The commission said local housing authorities should collect epidemic information in a timely manner. Any delay, attempt to conceal or understating the condition is strictly forbidden.

The measures come after three construction works at two construction sites in Beijing tested positive for COVID-19.

Two of the workers worked at a construction site in Mentougou district, Beijing's western suburb, which has raised its risk level to medium.