Shanghai adds five new COVID-19 cases

Shanghai reported two new locally transmitted COVID-19 confirmed cases and three asymptomatic cases on Thursday, raising the current total of local cases in the city to 13.

The five new cases tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday when the city's health authority screened individuals related to cases from other regions.

These five individuals, all women aged between 41 and 49, work in a supermarket on North Huting Road in Shanghai's Songjiang district. They have been sent to the city's designated hospital for treatment or medical observation, and are in stable condition.

Wu Jinglei, director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said that as of 10 am Thursday, 195 close contacts, 342 secondary close contacts, and more than 55,000 individuals related to the cases have been identified and subjected to related quarantine and control measures.

"We have not found an evidence that indicates the new cases are related to the wave of infection in the city's Putuo district reported over the past two days," Wu said.

Shanghai reported one confirmed local case on Tuesday and three new confirmed cases and four asymptomatic cases on Wednesday. All seven cases are women in their 50s and 60s who come from the same amateur dancing troupe that regularly gathers at a community activity center in Putuo district.