Photo: Chinanews.com

Two communities in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province have been moved into the high-risk category, according to a press conference held by the city government on Thursday evening, Chinanews.com reported.

Zhao Lian, deputy director of Dalian's health commission said at the press conference that 18 experts dispatched by the national health commission have arrived in Dalian. All the 18 experts have rich experience of fighting the COVID-19 epidemic as they have participated in epidemic control in Wuhan and Beijing.

Luo Weixing, deputy secretary of the city government said that a prompt epidemiological investigation and screening has been rolled out after a new COVID-19 case was reported in Dalian on Wednesday, which spotted two more cases and 12 asymptomatic patients, CCTV reported on Thursday.

Luo said that one confirmed patient and 12 other asymptomatic patients work in a seafood processing workshop, which has been closed, and the entire staff of the company have been quarantined.

Zhao said that Liaoning Province organized a 50-member epidemiological investigation team, a 10-member disinfection team, and eight nucleic acid testing teams to help Dalian with its epidemic control.

The city government will test some 190,000 people in the city and organize full-range nucleic acid tests in regions that may be at risk from the COVID-19 virus, said Luo.