Beijing is facing a major test of its coronavirus prevention and control as new patients have occurred recently in several districts, a senior city official said on Friday, China Daily reports,
The municipal government suggests local residents spend the New Year's and Spring Festival holidays in the city to reduce the risk of infection, said Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government. Spring Festival is in mid-February this year.
"Citizens should not leave the city if not necessary," she said. "Large-scale events should not be held."
Zhu Sheng, deputy administrator of Chaoyang district, said officials received a report on Thursday morning that an Asiana Airlines employee who lived and worked in the Maizidian Street area in Chaoyang tested positive for the virus after traveling to South Korea from Beijing on Tuesday.
The South Korean government confirmed that the employee was asymptomatic as of Thursday night.
The living space and workplace of the employee was disinfected immediately and 43 close contacts were placed under medical observation, Zhu said.
By 4:00 pm on Friday, 4,345 test samples had been collected and all 1,684 results that had been processed were negative.
