A new cluster of cases in Beijing, China has sparked worldwide concern as the country has just recorded its highest daily number in two months.

Over the weekend, Beijing’s largest seafood and produce market was closed down and the surrounding neighbourhoods were placed into lockdown after more than 50 people tested positive for coronavirus.

According to the Beijing health commission, nearly every one of the 53 people who tested positive had worked or shopped at the Xinfadi market.

Officials in Fengtai, which is home to more than 2 million people, announced that the district had established a “wartime mechanism” to deal with the fresh wave as police cars patrol the streets and plans for first, second and third grade students to return to school have been immediately suspended.

Similar outbreaks have also been reported in Iran and Italy, two countries that were among the worst-hit by the virus.

Iran reported more than 100 new virus deaths in a single day for the first time in two months, and Rome reported 109 infections with 5 deaths and 15 new cases detected in a building of squatters.

“It means the virus hasn't lost its infectiousness, it isn’t weakening … we shouldn’t let down our guard,” World Health Organisation deputy director Ranieri Guerra told Italian journalists.