BEIJING: China has reported 66 new coronavirus cases, the largest since the disease was controlled in its first epicentre Wuhan in April, prompting the authorities to go into a “wartime” mode to stem the spread of COVID-19 in the capital Beijing which has seen a sudden spike in the number of infections, health officials said on Sunday.
The officials of the China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said that 57 new confirmed COVID-19 infections, including 38 domestically transmitted, were reported on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, nine new asymptomatic cases were reported, it said.
Currently, 103 people with asymptomatic symptoms are kept under quarantine.
Asymptomatic cases, also known as silent spreaders, pose a problem as the patients are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat.
However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.
Of the domestically transmitted cases, 36 were reported in Beijing and two in Liaoning Province, the NHC said in its daily report.
Beijing has reported 46 cases in the last few days, taking the officials by surprise.
The new cases have brought a sense of disquiet in Beijing which in the last two months was being projected as safe.
—PTI

Press Trust of India