The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou is converting its largest convention venue on Pazhou Island into a temporary hospital as part of normalized COVID-19 prevention. (Photos: CFP)

More than 1,500 workers are in the process of remodeling five exhibition halls into a temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients.

According to the city's COVID-19 prevention press conference, one of the five exhibition halls will be ready for use in a week.

According to the local health department, Guangzhou registered 18 confirmed cases and nine asymptomatic cases on Sunday.