SHENYANG -- Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning province, has expanded the scope of nucleic acid testing following new cases of COVID-19, said local health authorities.

On Tuesday afternoon, Shenyang launched nucleic acid testing for residents of more areas in the four districts where a total of four locally transmitted COVID-19 cases had been reported so far.

The testing is expected to be completed on Thursday, according to the authorities.

The province was hit by a new round of coronavirus infections on Friday, following which nucleic acid testing was immediately launched in key areas of Shenyang and the city of Yingkou.

On Monday, Liaoning reported four new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases -- two each in Shenyang and Yingkou.