China's Yunnan reports 8 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases

Southwest China's Yunnan Province reported eight new locally transmitted COVID-19 confirmed cases, all in the city of Ruili, on Thursday, the provincial health commission said Friday.

The cases were all found in the all-inclusive nucleic acid testing in Ruili, the commission said.

The patients are receiving treatment at a local hospital and are in a stable condition.

By Friday noon, Ruili authorities had tracked 2,047 close and sub-close contacts. The city closed off its Wanding Township area starting 2 pm Thursday and all local residents are practicing home quarantine.

The province also registered nine imported confirmed cases and two asymptomatic cases. Among the confirmed cases, five were from Myanmar, three from Sri Lanka and one from Indonesia. The two asymptomatic cases had lived in Laos before arriving in China.

By the end of Wednesday, there were 109 confirmed cases in hospitals in Yunnan, including 31 locally transmitted cases and 78 imported ones. There were also 17 asymptomatic cases, all arriving from overseas.

Ruili, which lies along China's border with Myanmar, has been reporting new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since July 4.