BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Eight new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Beijing from midnight to 7 a.m. on Sunday, municipal authorities said.

Seven of the new cases were confirmed to be related to Xinfadi, a large wholesale market of fruits, vegetables and meat, while one case is currently under epidemiological investigation, said Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing center for disease control and prevention.

The official gave a detailed description of each case, showing that most patients either worked at the Xinfadi market in south Beijing's Fengtai District or had direct or indirect exposure to the market.

The Chinese capital on Friday reported six new confirmed cases. On Saturday, the figure climbed to 36, which officials said were all related to Xinfadi.

The government has sent a number of medical workers from hospitals, community health centers and disease control institutions to carry out nucleic acid tests in Xinfadi and other parts of Fengtai distict.

So far 8,186 samples have been collected, among which 5,803 throat swab samples have been tested negative, said Zhang Jie, deputy head of Fengtai District.

Beijing plans to perform nucleic acid tests for 46,000 residents in neighborhoods surrounding the Xinfadi market. By far, 10,881 people have been tested.

As of 3 p.m. Sunday, the epidemiological investigation had traced 394 people who had close contacts with confirmed COVID-19 patients in Fengtai District, 111 of whom have been put under quarantine at designated places.

Closed-off management had been resumed in 11 residential communities around the Xinfadi market as of Saturday, said Zhang.

Local authorities have arranged disinfections and provided food delivery, epidemic prevention supplies and other services to affected residents, the official said.