China reported a new cluster of coronavirus infections in the eastern port city of Qingdao, snapping a streak of over two months without local transmission and underscoring the risk of resurgence in countries that have achieved near-eradication of the pathogen.
The city in Shandong province said on Sunday that it found three asymptomatic cases linked to a hospital which treats COVID-19 patients coming from abroad. Expanded testing of hospital patients and staff then found another nine infections — of the total of 12 in the cluster so far, six are asymptomatic.
More testing is under way and aims to cover the entire city of 9.5 million within five days, the local health commission said on Monday.