A neighbourhood in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has been locked down as officials rush to quell an uptick in cases in the area.

The industrial hub north of Hong Kong home to nearly 15 million people has reported 20 new cases of the coronavirus in the past week, according to AFP.

A notice by the Guangzhou municipal health bureau identified five streets in Liwan district in the city centre as “high-risk areas” and ordered residents to stay indoors until door-to-door testing is completed.

The city government has rushed to conduct mass testing and about 700,000 people had been tested by Wednesday.