Number of COVID-19 cases in Xi'an rises to 1,573

"We should use every measure to solicit and renovate existing places to meet quarantine standards, and it's better to have more quarantine facilities left unused than to have no room for new infected patients," said Liu while inspecting the municipal epidemic prevention and control command on Saturday.

Liu also inspected the West Xinqiao Logistics Center for Agricultural Products, a major supplier of vegetables in the city. He stressed that workers there should get tested every 48 hours and that the environment should be disinfected on a daily basis.

To strengthen epidemic prevention and control measures in the Yanta district, Yang Jianqiang, another vice-mayor of Xi'an, was appointed by the provincial Party committee as the district Party chief of Yanta. Current chief Wang Bin and deputy chief Cui Shiyue were removed from their posts.

Elsewhere, Ningbo, Zhejiang province, also reported three new COVID-19 cases on Sunday after the city discovered seven in Beilun district on Saturday. Most cases were related to a company in the district.

Two related areas in Beilun were elevated to the middle-risk level, and Ningbo now requires travelers to show a negative COVID-19 testing result within 48 hours of their departure date.

Kang Ruoming contributed to this story.