Shanghai to conduct mass COVID-19 testing as new cases reported

SHANGHAI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai will conduct mass nucleic acid testing from Tuesday to Thursday in areas related to recent local COVID-19 cases, municipal authorities said on Tuesday.

The city, which has 16 districts in total, will conduct health screening in all areas of nine districts: Huangpu, Xuhui, Changning, Jing'an, Putuo, Hongkou, Yangpu, Minhang and Baoshan. Testing will also take place in parts of the Pudong New Area, Jiading District and Fengxian District.

People in related areas should take at least two nucleic acid tests with an interval of at least 24 hours from Tuesday to Thursday, according to the municipal leading group on COVID-19 prevention and control.

The testing efforts aim to detect and control the risk of the virus spreading as soon as possible, the group said.

Shanghai reported three confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and five local asymptomatic cases on Monday, the municipal health commission said Tuesday.