Shanghai reported three new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Wednesday after four consecutive days with only imported cases, taking the number of local cases up to 21 since January 21, Shanghai authorities announced on Thursday. 

Shanghai will downgrade Zhaotong residential area in the downtown Huangpu district from middle-risk to low-risk for COVID-19 from 6 pm on Thursday; the other three middle-risk areas will remain unchanged.

Case 1 lives in Huangpu district in Shanghai and is a close contact of previous confirmed COVID-19 cases, and was put into quarantine on January 21, said the Shanghai Health Commission.

Case 2 in Baoshan district is also a close contact of an earlier confirmed COVID-19 patient, who showed symptoms after being put into quarantine on January 22. 

Case 3 lives in the same residential area with an earlier case from Huangpu district. 

Among the 21 cases, 18 showed "ordinary" type symptoms, three were "mild" type; and all of them are receiving treatment at the designated hospital, Shanghai authorities said. 80,355 people have taken nucleic acid tests with four testing positive for the coronavirus — the four cases have been included in the 21 local cases.

The three cases were found during self-screening since the new outbreak from January 21 in Shanghai, Wu Fan, deputy director of Fudan University's medical college and a leading expert from Shanghai's COVID-19 medical team said during a press conference on Thursday. 

All of the 21 patients are related to each other, indicating that "the epidemic outbreak is still under control generally," Wu said.

In addition, two hospital branches in Shanghai — Renji Hospital and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center — will resume outpatient services from February 8 and February 9, respectively, with reservations starting on February 6. Both had suspended their outpatient services on January 21 after new COVID-19 cases were found.

The city also reported two imported cases on Wednesday, making the number hit 1344. 

Of all the 1,344 imported COVID-19 cases in Shanghai, 1,240 have been discharged from hospital and 104 are still hospitalized. Of all the 370 local cases, 342 have been discharged and 21 are still hospitalized. There have been seven local fatalities.

The authorities reminded residents to stay vigilant and to follow the preventive rules.