Beijing's Shunyi District has halted gatherings and operation of some businesses, including cinemas and swimming pools, in an attempt to rein in the spread of the coronavirus as another four cases have been reported in the district on Thursday.

Residents are advised to stay in Shunyi during the New Year holiday, a district official told a press briefing on Friday afternoon. 

As of Friday afternoon, 109,000 people in the district have been swabbed and 101,700 of them have tested negative as the rest are still waiting for the result.

Shunyi District has reported 20 confirmed cases over the past week.