Beijing tightens measures to contain COVID-19

BEIJING -- Beijing has unveiled new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 after new local infections emerged in recent days.

Authorities in Beijing have urged residents not to leave the city unless necessary, and restricted those in regions with new infections from entering the Chinese capital, Xu Hejian, a spokesperson for the Beijing municipal government, told a press briefing on Monday.

All those traveling into Beijing should have their health codes checked at their arrival airport, railway station or bus station, and those without a green health code should be barred from boarding planes, trains and buses, Xu said.

Authorities have suspended trans-provincial group tours. Local parks, theaters and museums are permitted to operate at 75 percent capacity and community recreational facilities such as chess and card rooms are temporarily closed.

Authorities have encouraged the use of video conferences to replace in-person meetings and forums to help reduce the number of people coming into Beijing, the official said.

Beijing reported two locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and one asymptomatic case between 4 p.m. Sunday and 3 p.m. Monday, said Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing's center for disease control and prevention. A fourth individual initially tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Pang said. All four cases are in Changping District.

The asymptomatic case was a close contact of the two confirmed cases. The two confirmed cases, a couple, had traveled with another two cases reported on Sunday, according to Pang.

Local health authorities are conducting epidemiological investigations and lab testing, and are tracing all close contacts, Pang said.