Five people were detained five days for organizing a traditional worship event in Wenhe village in Lianjiang, Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, which violated regulations for countering the novel coronavirus outbreak.

More than 100 villagers attended the event on Tuesday, and many did not wear a mask, according to the Lianjiang public security bureau.

The five organizers were aware of the epidemic control issue, but insisted on staging the event despite the urging of government workers.

Twenty confirmed cases of pneumonia infected by novel coronavirus had been reported in Zhanjiang by Friday at noon, with 183 people under medical observation according to the city's health commission.