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WHO is following up\u00a0with\u00a0Chinese\u00a0authorities\u00a0about\u00a0a cluster\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0cases\u00a0in Beijing, People\u2019s Republic of\u00a0China.<\/p>\n
Today, officials from the National\u00a0Health Commission\u00a0and Beijing\u00a0Health Commission\u00a0briefed\u00a0WHO\u2019s China country office, to share details of preliminary investigations ongoing\u00a0in Beijing. \u00a0<\/p>\n
As of 13\u00a0June,\u00a041 symptomatic laboratory confirmed cases and 46 laboratory confirmed cases\u00a0without symptoms\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0have been identified\u00a0in Beijing.<\/p>\n
The first\u00a0identified\u00a0case\u00a0had\u00a0symptom onset on 9 June, and was confirmed on 11 June. \u00a0Several of the initial cases were identified through six fever clinics in Beijing. \u00a0Preliminary investigations revealed that\u00a0some\u00a0of the\u00a0initial\u00a0symptomatic cases\u00a0had a link\u00a0to the\u00a0Xinfadi\u00a0Market in Beijing. \u00a0Preliminary laboratory investigations of throat swabs from humans\u00a0and\u00a0environmental samples\u00a0from\u00a0Xinfadi\u00a0Market identified 45 positive human samples (all\u00a0without symptoms\u00a0at the time of reporting) and 40 positive environmental samples. \u00a0One additional\u00a0case\u00a0without symptoms\u00a0was identified as a close contact of a confirmed case.<\/p>\n
All cases are in isolation\u00a0and under care as needed,\u00a0and contact tracing is underway. \u00a0Genetic sequencing of samples is\u00a0also\u00a0underway\u00a0and rapid sharing of these results\u00a0is\u00a0important to understand the origin of the cluster\u00a0and links between cases.\u00a0<\/p>\n
WHO has offered\u00a0support and\u00a0technical\u00a0assistance,\u00a0as well as requested\u00a0further information about the cluster and\u00a0the investigations underway and planned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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