Capitol Hill will cease all public tours this week as concerns mount over the spread of coronavirus, the House sergeant-at-arms announced Thursday.

The announcement said the decision will also apply to staff- and lawmaker-led tours.

The Capitol will be restricted to official business only starting Friday, meaning that only lawmakers and their staff, along with visitors who have business meetings scheduled, will be permitted inside.

Visitors granted access to the Capitol will be required to be escorted by lawmakers or staffers in and out of the complex.

The new restrictions will also apply to nearby congressional office buildings.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi informed lawmakers of the decision during a Wednesday afternoon meeting, according to Politico.

The restrictions on access were not in effect Thursday morning and tourists streamed through the Capitol Visitor Center. At screening checkpoints, however, officers replaced reusable bins for wallets and cellphones with gallon-size plastic bags to limit viral spread.

News of the decision comes amid rising concern over the risks incurred by having thousands of people tour the Capitol complex daily as coronavirus continues to spread.

At least seven lawmakers have opted to self-quarantine since coming into contact with constituents and other individuals who tested positive for Covid-19.

A staffer for Sen. Maria Cantwell tested positive for coronavirus — the first known congressional worker to catch the virus — her office announced Wednesday. They have since closed their office.

A bipartisan pair of congressmen introduced a bill this week that would enable lawmakers to work from home as concerns over the outbreak escalate.

Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) announced Monday they were reintroducing the MOBILE Resolution, a 2013 bill that would allow for votes to be cast by members from outside the chamber.