70 COVID-19 infections reported in Yiwu

Yiwu, in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, reported 32 new locally transmitted confirmed cases of COVID-19 from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, according to a statement from local health authorities.

Since Tuesday, Yiwu reported a total of 70 infections, including nine confirmed cases and 61 asymptomatic ones as of 9 am on Thursday.

The city has strengthened its epidemic prevention measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. A 48-hour negative nucleic acid test certificate is required for people entering public places, such as shopping malls, supermarkets, pharmacies, medical institutions and restaurants.

Residents are urged not to leave the city unless necessary. A green health code and a negative test result within 24 hours are needed for those who need to leave.

The city started mass testing on Thursday.

An urgent notice postponing the remaining games of the 17th Games of Zhejiang Province, which was being held in Jinhua, was issued by the general office of the organizing committee late on Wednesday.

Wang Hao, governor of Zhejiang province, went to Yiwu on Wednesday to check on anti-pandemic measures, including quarantines and nucleic acid tests. He called for more efforts to win the battle against the outbreak "at the fastest speed and with the smallest cost."

Sporadic cases were also reported in other places in Zhejiang.

As of 11:05 am on Thursday, three infections had been reported in Lanxi, Jinhua, triggering an emergency response with a series of measures.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pujiang county in Jinhua reported one positive case based on testing. The patient drove to the Qingkou Night Market in Yiwu for dinner on the evening of July 31 and stayed there for two and a half hours.

Zhuji, Shaoxing, and the Lishui Economic and Technological Development Zone, each reported one preliminary positive case on Wednesday.