COVID-19: China begins mass testing, district lockdowns in Beijing over spike in cases

Concerned authorities in China have embarked on mass testing and district lockdowns in Beijing after a jump in COVID-19 cases connected with a wholesale food market in the capital.

Reports say areas around another Beijing market in the northwest of the city was put on locked down after some staff of an unnamed company were diagnosed and tested positive for COVID-19.

Further reports revealed that another 10 neighbourhoods in Beijing have been sealed off as part of the city’s attempt to deal with a sudden spike of cases.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: China shuts down parts of Beijing over fears of a second virus wave

This came a day after tragedy struck on the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway south of Shanghai when a truck laden with liquefied gas exploded on Saturday afternoon killing no fewer than 18 people and injured 189 others in the process.

Concerned authorities say that the explosion caused extensive damage to nearby buildings. One photo showed firefighters hosing down a row of buildings with blown-out facades well into the night.

Eyewitnesses told the official Xinhua News Agency that the truck carrying liquefied gas exploded around 4:45pm on the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway south of Shanghai in Zhejiang province.

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