The picture shows the Gate 3 entrance to the new China International Exhibition Centre, a temporary distribution point. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/chinadaily.com.cn]

All international arrivals in Beijing will be required to be isolated at designated facilities even if they do not have coronavirus symptoms, starting March 16.

The spending for such isolation will be covered by the travelers themselves, said Chen Bei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, at a press conference on March 15.

On very special occasions and after assessment, some of them may be quarantined at home.

The decision has been made as the COVID-19 epidemic accelerates overseas.

Imported cases have become the main risk to the efforts to control the epidemic in Beijing and they are the majority of new cases in the municipality, she said.

Travelers who plan to pass the Chinese border check in Beijing and are bound for Beijing municipality should contact the local community in Beijing in advance to get related consultation and report their situation so that related services can be provided efficiently.

Imported COVID-19 cases have continued to grow and totaled 23 in Beijing between February 29 and Saturday, said Wu Guo'an vice-president of Beijing Ditan Hospital.

They are aged 27.6 on average and include nine males.