BEIJING,  Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- In response to the grave and complex COVID-19  situation in Beijing, the city authorities have proposed that residents  stay put during the Spring Festival holiday, a traditional holiday  featuring family reunions that usually sees mass migration.

People  in the capital city are urged to avoid unnecessary outbound trips and gatherings, the city's health authority said Thursday in its daily  COVID-19 update.

The  municipal authorities advised people to remain in their city of  residence during the holiday and refrain from traveling to areas with  medium and high infection risks at home and abroad.

The  outer packages of mails and parcels arriving from domestic or foreign regions with medium and high infection risks should be disinfected  before being opened, according to the advice.

The  Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 54 newly confirmed COVID-19  cases, including 41 locally transmitted cases, the National Health  Commission said Thursday.