Beijing expands COVID-19 testing

Beijing will conduct three rounds of nucleic acid testing for novel coronavirus starting on Tuesday for all residents in 11 districts including Dongcheng, Xicheng, Haidian, Fengtai in addition to Chaoyang, which started testing on Monday.

"Based on the current epidemic situation, the authority decided to expand the nucleic acid testing to more areas," said Xu Hejian, spokesperson of Beijing municipal government, at a news conference on Monday night.

Three rounds of tests will be completed between Tuesday and Saturday.

During this period, Beijing will suspend all the cultural and art events, sports games, exhibitions and large-scale commercial promotions, as well as the training courses after school.

All interior decoration works should also be suspended until the tests are completed.

"The authority has the confidence and capability to fight against the COVID-19 epidemic," he said.

Chaoyang district, where more than half of Beijing's recent cases were reported, had completed tests for 3.69 million residents by 8pm on Monday and 526,457 have come out negative by far, according to Yang Beibei, deputy head of Chaoyang district.