#Beijing’s coronavirus outbreak under control, Chinese official says

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People wearing protective face masks walk down the steps during an evening rush hour in a subway station, in Beijing, China.
EPA/Roman Pilipey

The Chinese capital city of Beijing has successfully contained its worst coronavirus outbreak in months, a top Chinese health official said Thursday.

The second-largest Chinese city has seen this month at least 158 infections linked to the wholesale food center of Xinfadi.

“The epidemic in Beijing has been brought under control,” said Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist of China’s Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, of the largest outbreak since February

Wu said there has been a downward trend since the peak of the recent crisis on June 13.

On Wednesday, new confirmed cases fell to 21, down from 31 the previous day.

“When I say that it’s under control, that doesn’t mean the number of cases will turn zero tomorrow or the day after,” he said.

“The trend will persist for a period of time, but the number of cases will decrease, just like the trend that we saw in January and February.”

Hundreds of thousands of residents have been tested in the past few days as authorities raced to those who caught the virus at Xinfadi or were infected by people who went there.

Travelers trying to enter Beijing must also be tested and isolated at centralized locations for quarantine.

With Post wires