The small northern administrative divisions of Heihe, Erenhot and Ejina, along China's borders with Russia and Mongolia, were among the hardest-hit areas in a nationwide outbreak since mid-October that resulted in more than 1,200 domestically transmitted cases showing confirmed symptoms.
Although China's infection numbers are lower than in many other countries and a dozen provincial regions have already brought the recent flare-up under control, it is pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against local clusters with stringent measures along international borders and other areas at higher risk for transmission.
People who have travelled in the previous two weeks to county-level administrative divisions with international overland ports of entry are advised not to enter China's capital for non-essential purposes, effective from Nov. 17, Beijing Daily reported on Saturday.
The report did not mention any specific measures that would be taken to curb unnecesarry entry to the area.