More Chinese cities report new confirmed COVID-19 cases

BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- More Chinese cities have been hit by new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to local authorities.

-- Beijing reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case between midnight on Wednesday and 2 p.m. on Thursday, local health authorities announced at a press briefing.

The new case is the wife of the confirmed COVID-19 case reported on Tuesday in Beijing, and she was under quarantine as a close contact on Tuesday, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing's center for disease control and prevention, told reporters.

The woman received a positive nucleic acid test result on Wednesday and was transferred to a designated hospital on Thursday where she was diagnosed as a confirmed but mild COVID-19 case.

A total of 128 close contacts have been traced and Pang has urged people not to leave Beijing unless necessary.

-- Northwest China's Gansu Province reported six new cases in the provincial capital Lanzhou and the city of Zhangye on Thursday, most of whom are close or sub-close contacts of previously confirmed cases, the provincial health commission said.

The province has registered a total of 15 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and one asymptomatic case since new local infections were reported on Tuesday. All of the above cases have been transferred to designated hospitals for treatment.

On Wednesday, local authorities temporarily closed three popular grottoes including the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to visitors in an effort to contain the spread of infections.

-- Yinchuan, the capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region that borders Gansu, reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case on Thursday, according to the local COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters.

The case, surnamed Wei, was a close contact of a previously confirmed infection and returned a positive result from the routine nucleic acid testing of those under quarantine.

Wei was later diagnosed as a confirmed COVID-19 case and sent to a designated local hospital for treatment. Local authorities have traced all of the individual's close and sub-close contacts, and taken related control measures to prevent further infections.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Yinchuan had three confirmed COVID-19 cases.

-- The city of Wuzhong in Ningxia reported two new confirmed COVID-19 cases at 9 a.m. Thursday, both of whom are now receiving medical treatment at a designated hospital, according to the local COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters.

The two cases are related to previously confirmed cases in Ningxia. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, Wuzhong had five confirmed COVID-19 cases.

-- Ejin Banner of Alxa League in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Thursday reported eight new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, who are now receiving medical treatment, according to the local COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters.

So far, Ejin Banner has 13 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases in medical treatment.

-- The city of Baoding in north China's Hebei Province reported two asymptomatic cases on Thursday, according to the local COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters.

The two carriers are a couple who traveled to Inner Mongolia and Gansu Province from Oct. 5 to Oct. 16. All close contacts have been traced and placed under quarantine.