The number of patients in fever clinics in Beijing on Sunday has jumped to 16 times more from a week earlier to 22,000, showing that the COVID-19 epidemic is spreading quickly in the city, said a local health official.

Li Ang, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Health Commission, said the city's major hospitals has recorded 19,000 patients with flu symptoms from Dec 5 to 11, up by 6.2 times from the previous week.

The number of people calling for emergency medical help also jumped significantly. On Dec 9, 31,000 emergency medical calls were made, marking a six-time increase from the average level, he said at a news conference.

The commission called on the public to not call for emergency help unless they are under critical conditions or showing severe symptoms, and reserve the service for patients in more serious conditions, he said.

The city is improving its triage medical service system for COVID-19 patients. Patients with no or mild symptoms are advised to stay home and if their symptoms get more serious, they can go to their community medical service center near their homes, Li said, adding that the city also has 44 online hospitals and 167 medical institutions offering online services.

When they get more serious, they can go to bigger hospitals and designated hospitals, he said.

Wang Houyan, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Medical Products Administration, said the city has released 25 million COVID-19 antigen test kits on Monday and will continue to increase the supply of these in the future.

The city will also increase the supply of drugs for fevers and colds to hospitals and drug stores, he said.

More than 2,000 drug stores in the city have been reminded to refrain from hoarding and profiteering. The city has dealt with three such cases and will resolutely hold violators accountable and safeguard the order of drug prizes, he added.