Fears of a hard Covid lockdown sparked panic buying in Beijing as long queues formed on Monday in a large central district for mass testing ordered by the Chinese authorities, according to AFP.

China was already trying to contain a wave of infections in its largest city Shanghai, which has been almost entirely locked down for weeks and reported 51 new Covid deaths on Monday.

Downtown Beijing's biggest district Chaoyang, home to around 3.5 million people, ordered mass testing from Monday for residents and those coming to work there -- the area hosts the headquarters of many multinational firms and embassies.

Many of the capital's fitness studios and gyms have cancelled classes or closed. Beijing has also imposed tight controls on entry to the city, with travellers required to have a negative Covid test from within 48 hours.