BEIJING — Here are the latest developments in China's COVID-19 control and prevention efforts:

— China's Zhengzhou further steps up epidemic prevention, control

The central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, classified 15 new areas as medium-risk for COVID-19 on Aug 5 and began its second round of nucleic acid testing at 9 am on Aug 5. It will complete the sampling process at 5 pm on Aug 6.

Starting from 10 pm on Aug 6 to 5 am on Aug 7, the municipal urban administration bureau will lead relevant environmental sanitation departments to disinfect key areas and main roads in the city. The disinfectants will be sprayed mainly in and around high-speed railway stations, railway stations, hospitals, large shopping malls, and the like.

According to the education department, the city's primary school enrollment has been postponed.

All residential communities and villages in the city will implement closed-loop management, urging residents in medium and high-risk areas for COVID-19 to quarantine at home and calling on people not to leave the city unless necessary.

Zhengzhou will also suspend intercity passenger bus services and reduce the frequency of urban bus departures. Taxis and ride-hailing cars are not permitted to enter medium and high-risk areas and are only allowed to operate in urban areas.

Closed venues such as public bathrooms, beauty salons, entertainment venues, offline training institutions, and nurseries are temporarily closed. Dining in restaurants is also strictly prohibited.

— Beijing prepares for Olympic Games returnees

The Chinese capital Beijing plans to strengthen prevention and control measures on its inbound flights due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, striving to safeguard quarantine and reception for Olympic Games returnees.

The city's Shunyi District has prepared 22 designated hotels with 5,071 rooms for future quarantine of China's Olympic Games returnees, said the municipal government during a press conference on Aug 6.

— First batch of COVID-19 patients cured in China's Nanjing

The first batch of six patients who had been infected with coronavirus was cured and transferred to a rehabilitation hospital for further medical observation on Aug 5 in the East China city of Nanjing, local health authorities said.

The cured cases will be under quarantine observation for 14 days in the designated rehabilitation hospital and then need to stay at home for another 14-day self-observation, said Yang Dasuo, deputy director of the Nanjing Health Commission.