Beijing detected eight new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases between 11 am on Tuesday and 11 am on Wednesday, officials said at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Of the cases, two were found in Beijing's economic and technological development area, two in Tongzhou district, two in Xicheng district and one each in Chaoyang and Shunyi districts.

Seven people were found positive for the virus after they returned to Beijing after participating in a training course organized by a company outside the capital city, said Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

The other one is a close contact of a confirmed case reported in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Liu urged social organizations in the city to strictly control inter-provincial meetings and training courses to avoid the flow and gathering of people.

"Online video participation is recommended," he said.