BEIJING — Beijing will lower its emergency response to COVID-19 from level II to III starting on July 20, announced an official of the Beijing municipal government at a press conference on July 19.

The city has effectively contained the spread of the virus after taking the most decisive, resolute and strict measures to control the source of infections at the very beginning, obstruct infection channels and beef up the prevention and control network, said Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government.

From June 11 to July 19, Beijing reported 335 confirmed COVID-19 cases in relation to the Xinfadi wholesale market, the source of the epidemic flare-up in the capital city, she said.

The city has reported no newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 for 14 consecutive days by July 19, Chen told reporters.