Millions of residents in Beijing remained at home yesterday as the city tried to stave off an outbreak by tightening travel restrictions.

Beijing citizens fear that they will soon be subjected to the same severe rules that have kept the majority of Shanghai's 25 million people at home for weeks.

During the morning rush hour in Beijing's most congested district, Chaoyang, metro stations and workplaces were deserted after officials increased a work-from-home directive in response to rising infections.

Because of the serious and complicated condition in the capital, official Xu Hejian advised citizens not to leave the city, adding that recent negative COVID-19 tests will be required to enter public venues.

Gyms and entertainment establishments are still closed, while schools are lecturing online.

While waiting for her shift to begin outside a restaurant in the famed Sanlitun district, a middle-aged cleaner expressed her discomfort at seeing so few customers.

In recent weeks, Beijing has recorded hundreds of infections, with 49 new cases verified yesterday, a small amount by worldwide standards.

"Working from home is inconvenient, but we have to meet the requirements of the community," remarked a 35-year-old advertising executive in line for a swab.

As limitations begin to define everyday life in the city of 21 million, some finance employees are living in motels near their workplaces.

To prevent infection, an investment manager who has relocated into a hotel near his office claimed his business advised him to try not to go home.

"Some of my colleagues have been instructed not to take public transportation to work and instead drive or ride their bikes," he continued.

Additional bus services were canceled as more cycles of testing were carried out in a handful of areas, including Chaoyang and Fangshan, which municipal officials identified as the "primary priority" in the city's anti-epidemic efforts.

Beijing has hoped to prevent the weeks of lockdowns that Shanghai has experienced, but citizens are concerned about the increasing number of residential complexes under lockdown restrictions.

After being prevented from leaving her compound yesterday, a 28-year-old lady of Changping district in north Beijing claimed she had previously been working from home but was concerned she would run out of daily necessities.

China's economy has suffered greatly as a result of the regulations. China's export growth slipped to its lowest level in over two years on Monday, according to figures released by the central bank, which pledged to increase support for the weakening economy.