Guangdong, May 31: With the reporting of 20 new local COVID-19 cases in China's Guangdong on Sunday, authorities have locked down areas of the capital city of the southern Chinese province due to a mini-outbreak.

Restrictions were announced barring the travelers from leaving Guangdong as local authorities stepped up efforts to contain the spread of the infection, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. Out of the 20 local cases in Guangdong, 16 were classified as patients with asymptomatic conditions, according to the local health authorities. China Mainland Reports 5 New Locally-Transmitted COVID-19 Cases.

In the provincial capital Guangzhou, 18 cases have been reported, with 14 of those asymptomatic. Two asymptomatic cases were reported in the neighbouring city of Foshan, According to the SCMP, the Guangdong outbreak has been traced to a 75-year-old woman who had dined with friends at a restaurant in the Liwan district of Guangzhou.

Local media has described the rate of spread as "alarming" as the Guangzhou city government is expanding its scope to launch viral screening to cover residents in several key districts and areas of concern.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in China to date stands at 91,099 with 4,636 deaths, according to the latest figures from the National Health Commission. On May 30, China reported 27 new cases of confirmed infections.

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