Strict new Covid-19 restrictions have come into force in Beijing for visitors to the Chinese capital, requiring negative tests and dramatically cutting domestic flights as the city raises the drawbridge against the coronavirus ahead of the Winter Olympics, AFP reports.

With less than 100 days to go to the games in February, China is bracing for a challenge to its zero-Covid strategy when thousands of international athletes descend on Beijing after months of strict border controls.

All visitors to the capital must now show a negative Covid test result from the past 48 hours, while flights from higher risk areas within China will be cancelled or limited to one a day at reduced capacity. The new restrictions also include Covid tests every three days for the more than 30,000 people working with cold-chain imports in the city.