SHENYANG — Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, has expanded the scope of nucleic acid testing following new cases of COVID-19, said local health authorities.

On the afternoon of May 18, Shenyang launched nucleic acid testing for residents of more areas in the four districts where a total of four locally transmitted COVID-19 cases had been reported so far.

The testing is expected to be completed on May 20, according to the authorities.

The province was hit by a new round of coronavirus infections on May 14, following which nucleic acid testing was immediately launched in key areas of Shenyang and the city of Yingkou.

On May 17, Liaoning reported four new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases — two each in Shenyang and Yingkou.