Beijing urged its residents not to leave the city during the Lunar New Year festivities and implemented new restrictions after several cases of coronavirus were recorded last week.
On Friday, two domestic cases were reported, involving a worker at a convenience store and a Hewlett Packard Enterprise employee. Days earlier, two other cases of asymptomatic people were recorded in Beijing.
The city is conducting coronavirus testing on a limited scale in the neighborhoods and workplaces where the cases have been reported.
To contain any new outbreaks, the Beijing government canceled large gatherings such as sporting events and temple fairs. He said applications for any large events will be strictly reviewed. Properties such as cinemas, bookstores and museums should operate at 75% capacity, he added.
He also asked the companies not to organize business trips out of town and abroad.
The Lunar New Year is celebrated on February 12.
Meanwhile, South Korea reported 1,132 new coronavirus cases on Saturday as a spike in infections worsened during Christmas week, increasing pressure on the government to implement stricter social distancing measures.
Figures released Saturday brought the nation’s backlog of cases to 55,902. So far, South Korea has reported 793 deaths from the coronavirus.
About 780 of the new cases were reported in the capital’s metropolitan area, which is home to 26 million people and where health workers discovered an outbreak in a huge Seoul prison, which has more than 500 inmates and members of the personal.
In recent weeks, infections have also been linked to hospitals, homes for the elderly, churches, restaurants and military units.
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