TIANJIN, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- North China's Tianjin Municipality had reported a total of 126 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 2 p.m. Thursday in the latest epidemic resurgence, according to local authorities.

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 9, 2022 shows a testing site for nucleic acid test in Nankai District of north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

The city also saw 22 asymptomatic carriers by 2 p.m. Thursday, said Liu Xianduo, deputy head of the municipal health commission at a press conference held on Thursday.

The municipality of 13.86 million people that neighbors Beijing on Thursday announced it will upgrade its COVID-19 prevention and control measures in high-risk areas to lower the risk of the virus spreading.

Vehicles entering and leaving the affected areas will be managed by local authorities and people outside the high-risk areas under government control are prohibited from visiting those areas to deliver materials.