<p id="thickbox_headline">Beijing introduced new Covid-19 curbs on Saturday to stamp out a "serious" outbreak as the Chinese capital maintains its strict zero-tolerance policy, with less than 100 days before it hosts the Winter Olympics.</p>.<p>China's leading epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said Saturday that authorities could contain a nationwide outbreak within a month -- but also warned the "pandemic cannot be eradicated within a short period of time".</p>.<p>The outbreak has hit at least 14 of China's provinces and millions have been tested in the past week.</p>.<p>The situation is "serious and complex" and the epidemic "is still developing rapidly", Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission, told a press conference Saturday.</p>.<p>In Beijing, authorities ordered all cinemas closed until November 14 in the capital's Xicheng district, which lies west of Tiananmen Square and is home to over a million people.</p>.<p>China announced 59 locally transmitted virus cases Saturday -- the highest since mid-September -- including two cases in Beijing linked to a tourist group infected in the north of the country.</p>.<p>While the number is low compared to daily case counts in other countries, authorities are pushing Beijing to contain the virus ahead of the Games, which begin on February 4.</p>.<p>The city -- which hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008 -- will become the first to host both events.</p>.<p>The new centre of the outbreak is 650 kilometres from Beijing, in the city of Erenhot, on the border with Mongolia.</p>.<p>Some six million Chinese people in cities where the virus has been detected are now under travel restrictions.</p>.<p>The country's nationwide train operator will suspend or limit routes in affected areas, state news agency <em>Xinhua</em> reported Saturday.</p>.<p>Entry into numerous regions is now conditional on a negative test result -- particularly for those coming from affected areas.</p>.<p>Friday saw around half of flights leaving Beijing's capital cancelled, with authorities urging people not to leave the city unless absolutely necessary. They also asked Beijingers to postpone their weddings.</p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">Beijing introduced new Covid-19 curbs on Saturday to stamp out a "serious" outbreak as the Chinese capital maintains its strict zero-tolerance policy, with less than 100 days before it hosts the Winter Olympics.</p>.<p>China's leading epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said Saturday that authorities could contain a nationwide outbreak within a month -- but also warned the "pandemic cannot be eradicated within a short period of time".</p>.<p>The outbreak has hit at least 14 of China's provinces and millions have been tested in the past week.</p>.<p>The situation is "serious and complex" and the epidemic "is still developing rapidly", Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission, told a press conference Saturday.</p>.<p>In Beijing, authorities ordered all cinemas closed until November 14 in the capital's Xicheng district, which lies west of Tiananmen Square and is home to over a million people.</p>.<p>China announced 59 locally transmitted virus cases Saturday -- the highest since mid-September -- including two cases in Beijing linked to a tourist group infected in the north of the country.</p>.<p>While the number is low compared to daily case counts in other countries, authorities are pushing Beijing to contain the virus ahead of the Games, which begin on February 4.</p>.<p>The city -- which hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008 -- will become the first to host both events.</p>.<p>The new centre of the outbreak is 650 kilometres from Beijing, in the city of Erenhot, on the border with Mongolia.</p>.<p>Some six million Chinese people in cities where the virus has been detected are now under travel restrictions.</p>.<p>The country's nationwide train operator will suspend or limit routes in affected areas, state news agency <em>Xinhua</em> reported Saturday.</p>.<p>Entry into numerous regions is now conditional on a negative test result -- particularly for those coming from affected areas.</p>.<p>Friday saw around half of flights leaving Beijing's capital cancelled, with authorities urging people not to leave the city unless absolutely necessary. They also asked Beijingers to postpone their weddings.</p>