Beijing [China], May 15 (ANI): As COVID-19 infections emerged in Beijing's Fangshan district, the local administration imposed stay-at-home order while also suspending bus, subway, and car-hailing services.

The health officials uncovered at least eight cluster infections related to a bank, a railway construction company, a bus station and restaurants in the city, adding to the uncertainty of the already complex epidemic situation, reported Global Times.

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Beijing reported 40 new infections in the past 24 hours, including three detected during mass community level nucleic acid testing.

Since April 22, a total of 1,015 COVID-19 patients have been received by designated hospitals in the capital, Xu Hejian, spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Government, said at Saturday's press conference.

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A cluster infection related to an express company's Fangshan branch was immediately red-flagged, as 16 cases have already been found.

The risk level of the area where the company is located has been upgraded to high risk for contracting COVID-19, reported Global Times.

Apart from the cluster infection at the courier service station, three new cases were reported at a data centre in Shunyi district of the Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, making the total related infection number related to the bank to 37, including 26 staffers.

China has been facing criticisms across the world for imposing a zero-COVID policy to contain the recent surge in cases.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Chinese authorities are enforcing a "zero-tolerance" policy by imposing strict lockdowns at the slightest threat of a disease outbreak creating mayhem among the citizens. (ANI)

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