Tourists wearing masks are seen in Venice, Italy, Feb. 23, 2020. A total of 152 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Italy, including three deaths and one recovery, said Angelo Borrelli, head of the country's civil protection department, on Sunday. The total includes 110 cases in the northern region of Lombardy, 21 in the northeastern region of Veneto, and nine in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, Borrelli said at a televised press conference, adding that an Italian researcher has made a full recovery. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

Beijing reported two more imported cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday from Italy and Iran, bringing the total nationwide imported cases to 15. 

As of Wednesday, Beijing has reported four imported cases, in addition to the two previous reported patients from Iran. 

One domestic case was also reported in the capital, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission on Wednesday. 

To deal with the increasing number of imported cases, Beijing has decided to impose a 14-day quarantine on all visitors, both Chinese and foreigner, from severely stricken regions and countries, namely South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan. 

Graphic: Global Times

 "At present, with the worsening situation in other countries, more Chinese nationals overseas want to come back to China. Beijing is now facing heavy pressure to prevent virus imports," Chen Bei, deputy general secretary of the Beijing municipal government, said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Many cities in China suggested overseas Chinese reconsider or postpone their travel plans as the coronavirus spreads across the globe, severely impacting countries including Iran and Italy. 

So far, the total number of imported cases reported in China has reached 15. Apart from the two new reported cases in Beijing, eight cases from Italy have been reported in Zhejiang, two cases from Iran were reported in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, another two from Iran in Beijing, as well as one from the UK detected in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province.