Beijing's new COVID-19 cluster: Xinfadi, biggest wholesale market in Asia

Xinfadi seafood supermarket in Beijing’s southern Fengtai district was closed on Saturday after it was identified as being at the centre of a new cluster of cases.

However, China's top epidemiologist asserted that "it does not clearly or indicate it's from imported seafood".

The virus is believed to have spread from the Xinfadi wholesale food market in Beijing as authorities quickly moved to lockdown 30 communities in the city and began aggressive testing and tracing of citizens.

Beijing city spokesman Xu Hejian warned that the "epidemic situation in the capital is extremely severe".

The second wave is eerily similar to what happened in Wuhan. Yet again — an exotic meat stall is at the heart of the story. The virus was reportedly discovered on chopping boards used for imported salmon at the Xinfadi market.

But — experts say the link to Xinfadi market and salmon is only a hypothesis. Since May 30 — over 200,000 people had visited the market.

Now — the market has been sealed, and — tens of thousands of people are being traced, tested and quarantined across Beijing. This has upended life and shattered the narrative of normalcy. Most of the city is under a partial lockdown. But — at least 30 localities around the market are under complete lockdown.

For two months — Beijing did not report a single case. Over the last 24 hours - 31 new cases of local transmission have been reported. On June 11 — the first case was detected and in a matter of just six days — the total number of cases has surged to 137.

Now — the city administration is on overdrive. It has launched a massive test and trace operation to contain the outbreak. Over 40,000 people are being tested daily. Authorities have taken drastic steps.

Schools have been shut down, Bars, restaurants and night clubs have been closed and travel restrictions are back.

Beijing residents have been asked to not leave the city — unless they have taken a Nucleic acid amplification test.

The situation in Beijing is being called extremely severe. China's capital has become a no-go zone for the rest of the country.1, 255 flights at the Beijing airport have been cancelled. That's about 60 per cent of the scheduled flights. Other Chinese cities like shanghai have started quarantining travellers from Beijing.

All arrivals will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon reaching Shanghai.

Despite the strict measures — fear of the new wave of coronavirus is driving people to flee Beijing.

For Beijing’s residents — it's the fear of living under the lockdown all over them again and there is the fear of facing another round of contagion. Outside Beijing — the provinces of Hubei, Liaoning, Sichuan and Zhejiang have reported new cases linked to Xinfadi.

Chinahas bragged of its success in beating the coronavirus but the second wave of the deadly Wuhan virus has cast doubt on the claim.