Beijing's new COVID-19 cases linked to Xinfadi market

Market suspended

As the new COVID-19 cases were all connected to Xinfadi, the largest wholesale market with fruit, vegetable and meat supplies for Beijing, the market was suspended Saturday.

To ensure the market supply, special areas have been designated for sales of vegetables and fruits, according to a statement jointly issued early Saturday by the market regulation bureau and the health commission of Fengtai District.

Covering an area of 112 hectares, the Xinfadi market has some 1,500 management personnel and more than 4,000 tenants.

All personnel who have had close contact with the market since May 30 will undergo nucleic acid testing, said Gao Xiaojun, a spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Health Commission, Saturday.

According to Gao, the city now has 98 qualified institutions for nucleic acid testing, with the daily testing capacity exceeding 90,000.

Chen Yankai, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Market Regulation, said the city will strengthen inspection of food markets with fresh products, frozen pork, beef, mutton and poultry.