Closed schools and travel restrictions in Beijing

In total, over 100 cases of coronary infection have been confirmed over the past 24 hours.

- The spread of infection in the capital is extremely serious, says spokesman Xu Hejian.

All Beijing schools are now closed to curb the outbreak, the city's education commission reports.

In addition, restrictions are imposed on travelers leaving the capital. Accommodation in "medium or high risk areas" is not allowed to travel at all, for others the prohibition on "unnecessary" travel applies.

"Everyone who leaves Beijing must have a negative result on a test taken within seven days of their departure," said the city's deputy general secretary Chen Bei at a press conference.

Concern for a second wave is high in China and the government has mobilized nearly 100,000 infection protection workers in the fight against the new outbreak. Tens of thousands are to be tested every day and outside the shopping malls, grocery stores and offices, visitors' body temperature is checked at the entrances.

Authorities have pointed out Beijing's giant food market Xinfadi as the source of the outbreak. With an area equivalent to close to 160 football pitches, Xinfadi is more than 20 times the size of the Wuhan fish market, where the original outbreak is believed to have occurred at the end of last year.