New coronavirus cluster in Beijing is not related to Hebei infection

The new cluster of COVID-19 cases reported during the weekend in Beijing is not related to the recent pandemic in North China's Hebei, based on whole genome sequencing of the virus, a senior official in the capital said at a news conference on Monday.

Pang Xinghuo, deputy head of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Beijing reported two confirmed local cases and five asymptomatic cases on Saturday and Sunday. They are all from one family that lives in Lianzhuangcun village in Shunyi district.

The source of the virus from the new cluster is highly similar to the one from the previous cluster infection in the district. So it's highly possible they come from the same transmission chain, she said.

It's not related to the recent infections found in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai cities in Hebei province, she added.

According to the center, 432 close contacts of the new cases reported over the weekend are now under quarantine and all their living space has been disinfected.

Lianzhuangcun village where the cluster occurred was designated as a medium-risk area on Monday.