To assess the disease risk to Dongguan following Beijing's COVID-19 resurgence, the Dongguan Municipal Health Bureau, the Municipal Centre for Disease Control and the Municipal Market Supervision Administration conducted emergency nucleic acid tests on the market environment and key food samples on Saturday 13th June. The scope of the inspection included stalls at large-scale wholesale and retail farm produce markets selling seafood, aquatic products, poultry and meat, as well as key food varieties. A total of 78 samples were collected, with all results negative for the virus.

Contamination monitoring on the market environment covered stalls, chopping boards, the surface of utensils, the insides of storage refrigerators or the interior of cold storage warehouse, and sewage outlets. A total of 48 samples were collected, and all tested negative for the virus.

As for the monitoring of foods, key inspection targets were imported aquatic products and frozen meat, including fish, shellfish, frozen beef and mutton. A total of 30 samples were collected, with all test results negative.

The inspection results showed that the risk of Dongguan residents being infected through exposure to the external environment is extremely low. "Residents need not be too worried," said the city's Health Bureau. Government departments will continue to monitor and expand inspection coverage as well as increasing sample volumes. Monitoring results will be released on a regular basis.

The city's CDC warns that the prevention and control measures cannot be relaxed since the epidemic is not yet over. After handling raw food, people should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and running water. If they answer the phone, blow their nose, dump garbage, or go to the toilet while handling raw food, they should wash their hands before and after. In addition, markets should strengthen environmental sanitation, and perform routine methodical cleaning, disinfection and biological control.