The Chinese capital Beijing on Sunday promised to improve anti-virus measures and ban the practice of barring building gates in closed-off residential compounds.

Facing a continuous rise of new COVID-19 cases, the city must optimize epidemic control according to new conditions, Liu Xiaofeng, deputy head of the Beijing municipal disease prevention and control center, told a press conference.

In particular, barricading building gates and residential-complex entries in high-risk areas is strictly prohibited. Passages must remain clear for medical transportation, emergency escapes and rescues, said Wang Daguang, a municipal official in charge of community-level epidemic control and prevention.

Residential complexes shall be timely lifted out of closed-off management if they fit the requirements, he said.

Beijing on Saturday reported 747 locally transmitted COVID-19 confirmed cases and 3,560 local asymptomatic cases, compared with 586 and 2,009 on Friday.

Previously, the city government promised to expedite the reopening of shopping malls and supermarkets that sell livelihood-related products, saying such business outlets, if affected by the COVID-19 cases, are allowed to reopen after one day of required closure and disinfection.