Beijing raised its COVID-19 emergency risk level for the Dashanzi branch store of Hanting Hotel in Chaoyang district and other stores in the building to medium from Saturday, Beijing's Center for Disease of Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Saturday.

This is the first time the capital announced a medium-risk area since July 20 when Beijing cleared the medium-risk area in the wake of a new coronavirus cluster.

The decision came after two confirmed cases - close contacts of a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 on Monday who arrived in the capital from Hong Kong - were reported in the area on Friday.

People in the medium risk area have been asked in principle not to leave the capital, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing CDC said. People who have to leave Beijing need to carry a negative nucleic acid test result valid for 7 days.

Beijing has started nucleic acid tests on residents and on the environment in the area as well as those in the surrounding neighborhood.

The Dashanzi hotel in addition to stores inside the building have been closed. Businesses including restaurants, convenience stores, beauty salons and fitness clubs in the surrounding area have been asked to shorten or adjust their operating hours. 

Changping district in Beijing also closed an apartment building in a residential community, where one of the cases had visited on December 14.

Friday's newly confirmed patient, a 48-year-old woman, lived in the Dashanzi hotel where the Hong Kong case stayed after he finished a 14-day quarantine period upon arrival the capital. 

The Hong Kong case, a 27-year-old man, arrived in Beijing from Hong Kong on November 28. He tested negative for coronavirus upon arrival and during quarantine, but positive two days after quarantine, raising concerns over medical controls on overseas travelers.

The Beijing government announced on Friday that the capital will tighten quarantine rules for overseas travelers, requiring them to undergo a 14-day quarantine and health monitoring for another seven days after they arrive.