HEFEI -- Two neighborhoods in the city of Lu'an, east China's Anhui province, where a new COVID-19 confirmed case was reported on May 13, have heightened their risk level for COVID-19 from low to medium starting Friday, according to the city's COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters.

The two neighborhoods are located respectively in the districts of Jin'an and Yu'an. Authorities are providing free nucleic acid tests for local residents.

Restrictions on personnel movement have been imposed and disinfection are regularly conducted in the two areas to curb the spread of the virus.

Two confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in Anhui on Thursday, including the one in Lu'an and another in Feixi County.

The two patients had close contact during a training section at a photo studio in Lu'an, the Lu'an health commission said Thursday.

Preliminary investigation shows that the patient in Feixi had contact with people arriving from overseas in northeastern city of Dalian.