SHANGHAI -- As of 7:00 pm Friday, the Shanghai New International Expo Center, which has been turned into the city's largest central quarantine site, had received around 1,500 COVID-19 patients, local authorities said.

The center's first two exhibition halls started operation on Thursday night, while preparation work on another eight halls is nearing completion.

"Safety is the top priority," said Chen Erzhen, in charge of the temporary central isolation site.

Infection prevention and control in hospitals, and the safety of doctors, nurses, patients and construction workers should all be ensured, Chen said, stressing the necessity of meticulous plans and careful work despite a tight schedule and numerous difficulties.

Medical teams from eight hospitals will render service at this temporary quarantine site with a total capacity of more than 15,000 beds.

Shanghai reported 260 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 6,051 asymptomatic carriers on Friday, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission said Saturday.