BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese capital Beijing has demanded all arrivals from overseas to undergo concentrated quarantine and nucleic acid testing (NAT) starting from Wednesday as the number of imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to increase.

The new rule will also cover those who visit the city after arriving through other Chinese ports within 14 days, the city government said Tuesday.

The quarantine expenses shall be paid by passengers themselves, it said.

Beijing reported 31 new imported cases of COVID-19 Monday, the local health commission said Tuesday.