(Yicai Global) June 22 -- The first group of delivery and processing staff working for fresh food and meal delivery companies in Beijing have tested negative for Covid-19 in nucleic acid tests.

Ele.me has tested all of its delivery workers in the capital and all came back negative, Beijing Daily cited the firm as saying. It plans to test staff in other departments this week and had earlier asked workers delivering in high-risk areas to get tested and remain home for 14 days.

Beijing reported 227 local Covid-19 cases between June 11 and June 20, with all patients being hospitalized and many having connections to the Xinfadi wholesale market, the city’s biggest wholesale source of fresh produce.

Meituan Dianping has also tested all of its delivery staff in Beijing, according to the report. It is using delivery methods that limit person-to-person contact and also using unmanned vehicles and other approaches, it said. The company will publish its drivers’ test results online.

Fresh food-focused Missfresh has tested 1,000 employees and they all came back negative, according to the company. It has also tested food samples and they do not contain the virus. Another grocery delivery platform Benlai.Com said the same.

Editor: James Boynton