BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The employee of an online book retailer has left 82 people under quarantine after she contracted the novel coronavirus, health authorities said Sunday.

Doctors confirmed on Feb. 19 that an employee of Dangdang.com, surnamed Li, contracted the virus, said Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control.

Li went back to the northeastern province of Heilongjiang on Jan. 21 and returned to Beijing on Feb. 5. She worked at the company from Feb. 10 to 13 by public transportation.

Li had close contact with 82 people by Saturday. These people are under observation.