Coronavirus: Beijing outbreak under control, but cases will continue, epidemiologist says

Deputy police chief denies city is back under lockdown but says strict measures have been imposed to stop people leaving

Neighbouring Tianjin reports first local case in months, a hotel kitchen worker who had recently handled frozen seafood

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Strict measures have been introduced in Beijing to contain a fresh coronavirus outbreak. Photo: AP

Published: 3:02pm, 18 Jun 2020Updated: 11:52pm, 18 Jun 2020

The latest coronavirus outbreak in Beijing has been brought under control, even though new cases are likely to be reported for several days to come, China’s top epidemiologist said on Thursday.

The fresh wave of infections linked to the Xinfadi wholesale food market peaked on Saturday and the curve was flattening, suggesting the spread of the disease had been contained, said Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Beijing reported 21 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday – taking the total since the start of the outbreak on June 11 to 158 – but Wu said the latest patients probably became infected some time ago.

“Newly reported cases do not equal new infections,” he said.

“Analysis of symptom onset, which is days earlier [than when the case is confirmed], and infection, which is even earlier, shows that the 21 new patients probably contracted the virus before June 12.

“If we draw a graph, the peak of new infections was on June 13 [Saturday].”

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