Beijing keeps virus measures as daily cases drop

China's capital Beijing reported a decline in newly confirmed cases of coronavirus Thursday as the city continued to press stricter measures to contain a new outbreak.

Authorities have said mask wearing, social distancing and disinfecting will all be more tightly enforced.

Checks at entrances to residential communities were also being tightened.

Group tourism across the city and provincial borders is suspended, adding to bans on residents from high-risk areas from leaving Beijing and bans on taxis and car services from transporting people across the city border.

Beijing reported 21 cases, down from 31 on Wednesday.

The national total of 28 included four brought by Chinese travelers from outside the country and three in the city of Tianjin and Hebei province, both of which border Beijing.

No new deaths were reported, leaving the total number of fatalities at 4,634 amid 83,293 cases recorded since the virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

Beijing this week moved to suspend classes and restrict tourism and travel in and out of the city to stem any further spread in the latest outbreak traced to the city's largest wholesale market.

Flights at the city's two major airports have also been slashed by more than half, and the city's top official says his administration is determined not to allow gains made in eradicating the virus to slip away because of further local transmissions.