BEIJING — Beijing will expand the scope of nucleic acid tests to cope with the heavy tasks of preventing the novel coronavirus epidemic from rebounding, local authorities said on April 18.

The nucleic acid tests should be conducted on all key groups, said Xu Hejian, spokesperson for the municipal government at a press conference on April 18.

The city will strengthen the management of the people who undergo medical observation at home or concentrated quarantine in designated facilities. Those who have returned from concentrated quarantine should be included in community health management schemes.

Beijing will also step up the epidemiological investigations on imported-cases-related infections in the city to further reinforce the positive momentum in the epidemic situation, Xu said.