Members of the disinfection team work at a shopping mall in Suihua City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 18, 2021. A team of 25 volunteers has carried out disinfection tasks in Beilin District of Suihua City to curb the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic in the wake of newly emerged cases. (Photo: Xinhua)

Pingdu city in East China's Shandong Province reported one new confirmed local COVID-19 case and one an asymptomatic virus carrier on Wednesday, making the total number of local infected cases to 778, with 770 patients already discharged from hospitals.

The new case, surnamed Zhang, 38, from Heze, Shandong and his wife, surnamed Wang, 40, from Qiqihar, Heilongjiang Province, had traveled to Suihua in Heilongjiang. Heilongjiang reported 68 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 85 asymptomatic infections on Wednesday, according to the local authorities on Thursday.

Both of them were tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday; while all their close contacts are put under quarantine for medical observation.

The couple left Suihua on January 11 and drove along the highway to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region before heading back to Shandong on January 14. They went to the Pingdu local hospital for tests that day and ordered food, having face-to-face contact with a deliveryman. Their nucleic acid test results turned negative.

During their staying in Pingdu, they had been to other hospitals for other treatment and the authorities reminded local residents who had possible contact with them to report their travel history to their communities promptly to prevent possible COVID-19 spread.

Zhang had a dry cough and suffered from a fever with a temperature of up to 38.3C Tuesday night, five days after they arrived in Pingdu. Zhang was confirmed infected later on Wednesday and his wife was confirmed as a asymptomatic carrier.