COVID risks rising in Beijing

The number of new locally transmitted COVID-19 infections in Beijing has continued to rise in recent days, which indicates that the capital is still facing a severe and complicated epidemic control and prevention situation with high infection risks among communities, senior official said at a news conference on Friday.

Xu Hejian, spokesman of the municipality, said Beijing's control and prevention work is at a critical moment at present.

Beijing recorded 70 new local COVID-19 infections between midnight and 3pm on Friday, among whom six were detected at the community level, according to the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the center, said at the conference, that the hidden infection risk is rising, and he suggests work units and companies to reduce offline meetings and residents to reduce gatherings.

Beijing's Haidian district announced on Friday to suspend all the in-person cultural and art training courses starting at 4 pm Friday, in order to reduce the infection risks. The online courses can be continued.