Staff members carry out sterilization work at the Terminal 2 of Nanjing Lukou International Airport in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province on Wednesday after 17 airport workers tested positive for the COVID-19. Photo: Xinhua

The latest outbreak in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, continues to escalate with 48 new confirmed cases and one asymptomatic case discovered on Tuesday, taking the total number of infections to 159 since July.

The infections were all found in Nanjing and Suqian, according to official information. 

Nanjing kicked off the third round of citywide nucleic acid testing on Wednesday.

Other cities in the province are also reinforcing their anti-pandemic measures. Suzhou has set up 18 checking points at highways to check health status of drivers coming from Nanjing. Suzhou has also suspended all road passenger transportation, including buses and taxis, with Nanjing.

The Nanjing outbreak has expanded to about 10 cities in five provinces, including South China's Guangdong and Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Sichuan provincial government released a document on Wednesday requiring all arrivals to the province to undergo a 14-day-quarantine at quarantine centers and another seven-day quarantine at home.

Global Times