Beijing [China], January 24 (ANI): China on Sunday recorded 57 confirmed COVID-19 cases amid the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant cases in the country.

Of the new local infections, six were reported in Beijing, three each in Hebei and Yunnan, two in Shandong, and one each in Tianjin, Shanxi, Henan and Guangdong, Xinhua reported citing the National Health Commission as saying on Monday.

Also Read | Kabul Delegation Meets With Afghan Civil Society in Oslo.

Sunday also saw reports of 39 imported COVID-19 cases across the mainland, the Chinese media said.

Meanwhile, China is witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases in its major cities including Beijing.

Also Read | Earthquake in China: Quake of Magnitude 5.8 Hits Qinghai Province.

After reporting the first case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the strict new COVID-19 restrictions come into force in the city.

This comes ahead of Winter Olympics which is scheduled to be held next month. Beijing will now require travellers to get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival in the Chinese capital, Taipei Times reported.

The new rule, effective from Saturday to the end of March, is aimed to help with early detection of Omicron, which is surging globally, and the control of epidemic risks, Beijing Daily, a government newspaper, said on social media. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)