A passenger wearing mask is seen on a bus in the China-Russia border city of Manzhouli in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on April 14, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

The border city of Manzhouli, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, reported two new confirmed local cases of COVID-19 today (December 2), including one reported earlier as an asymptomatic case, according to the city's health commission.

To stem any possible spread of the virus, Manzhouli is ready to conduct a third round of coronavirus tests starting on Thursday morning (December 3) for more than 200,000 of its residents across the city, according to the city's epidemic prevention and control headquarters.

The city initiated its first round of nucleic acid tests for all residents on November 22, and the second round on November 27 after two domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases emerged in late November.

Manzhouli has raised the coronavirus risk level for Dongshan Street from medium to high beginning today, while four other streets have been categorized as medium-risk areas.

Qingdao City in east China's Shandong province reported two new local asymptomatic cases yesterday, local health authorities said, adding that a total of 10 asymptomatic patients remain under medical observation.

To date, the Chinese mainland has registered two high-risk COVID-19 areas, one each in Tianjin and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; as well as eight medium-risk regions, four each in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Shanghai.

Expert suggests continued use of face masks

Chinese renowned respiratory scientist Zhong Nanshan receives an interview with Xinhua in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, Jan 28, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's leading respiratory expert urged people to continue wearing face masks as the winter flu season approaches and more patients will be infected with both the influenza and the novel coronavirus in the near future.

Wearing face masks is still an effective way to prevent both COVID-19 and common flu, said Zhong Nanshan, a renowned expert on respiratory disease prevention.

There have already been reports of four cases infected with both the influenza A (H1 and H3) and the COVID-19 viruses, according to Zhong at a health science and technology innovation conference in Shenzhen on November 27.

Zhong, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, underscored the vital role of fast and timely virus testing in identifying whether a patient is infected with the flu virus or novel coronavirus.

He said current statistics showed that the flu infection rate in China has dropped dramatically this year because people were wearing face masks.

Editor: Becky

Sources: Xinhua; China Daily; CGTN