Beijing classifies more at-risk areas

BEIJING -- Beijing reported 21 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and one local asymptomatic carrier from 4 pm Monday to 4 pm Tuesday, local authorities said Tuesday.

Gene sequencing of 38 infected samples conducted by the Beijing municipal disease prevention and control center found that the virus is a COVID-19 Omicron variant, said Pang Xinghuo, deputy head of the center.

"The newly infected cases had an epidemiological association with the early infected ones. Results of epidemiology, gene sequencing, and antibody detection showed there are currently two transmission chains in Beijing," Pang said.

One neighborhood in Beijing was on Tuesday classified as a high-risk area for COVID-19, and seven others as medium-risk areas, as more locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported.

The latest classifications bring the total number of high-risk areas in Beijing to two and medium-risk areas to 12, according to a press conference on local epidemic prevention and control work.

Vegetable supplies in the city's seven major agricultural product wholesale markets increased by 11 percent to 25,200 tonnes on Tuesday, and vegetable prices remain stable, said Zhao Weidong, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau.

There is a sufficient and stable supply of daily necessities in Beijing, and the transport channels linking all production areas remain smooth. Local authorities will continue to guide and organize wholesale markets, chain supermarkets, stores and e-commerce platforms to increase purchasing and stabilize supplies further, Zhao said.