Beijing sets entry rules as cases rise

BEIJING • People travelling to Beijing will be subject to tighter Covid-19 control measures starting from Wednesday, the municipal government said yesterday.

All those entering Beijing must show negative results of nucleic acid tests taken within 48 hours before arrival and a green health code. Those from counties (cities, districts or banners) with new infections within 14 days are under tight restrictions when seeking entry to the Chinese capital, the government said at a press briefing.

The holding of national conferences, training, and other activities in Beijing will also be strictly controlled.

Closed-loop management will be implemented during these activities, and none of the participants will be allowed to go out.

The measures will be dynamically adjusted according to changes in the epidemic situation.

The Chinese mainland reported 57 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Friday, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in its daily report yesterday.

The latest Covid-19 resurgence in China has spread to 21 provincial-level regions as at yesterday, where new locally transmitted cases or asymptomatic carriers were reported over the past few days, a health official said.

With the number of infections surpassing 250 million worldwide, China is facing greater challenges in preventing inbound cases, said Ms Mi Feng, a spokesman for the NHC, at a press conference.

The country is also facing the risk of infectious respiratory illnesses brought about by low temperatures, noted Ms Mi, adding that risks are doubled under such circumstances.

Despite the complex situation caused by the resurgence, Mr Wu Liangyou, an official with the NHC, told the press conference that the epidemic situation has generally stabilised across the country.

Multiple provincial-level regions previously hit by Covid-19 have effectively cut the spread of the virus and brought the epidemic under control, Mr Wu said.

Though still at a critical stage, the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Dalian, north-east of China's Liaoning province, has been contained within the city, Mr Wu added.

Tens of thousands of university students are under lockdown on their campuses in Dalian, which is battling the biggest flare-up in the country's current outbreak, according to Dushikuaibao newspaper.

Two universities in Zhuanghe in Dalian have imposed curbs since the port city discovered virus cases on Nov 4, the report said, citing students. Classes are being held online, the paper said.

Dalian, a leading port for seafood shipments as well as fruit and some meats, has also ordered all businesses handling imported chilled and frozen foods to suspend operations, the state-backed newspaper Global Times said.

China will stick to its target of clearing Covid-19 infections in a timely manner, and prevent both imported cases and domestic resurgences, Ms Mi said. This means early detection, swift response, targeted containment and effective treatment of Covid-19 patients.

The educational authorities are renewing efforts to safeguard schools from Covid-19 and other infectious diseases, said Mr Wang Dengfeng, an official with China's Ministry of Education, yesterday.

Currently, the spread of Covid-19 coincides with seasonal respiratory diseases risks, Mr Wang said at a press conference.

According to Mr Wang, the ministry has urged all schools to take the temperatures of inbound personnel and monitor their health. They are also required to strictly implement epidemic prevention measures and respond with speed when emergencies occur.

By the end of Friday, more than 300 of the 1,379 patients infected in the latest Covid-19 resurgence in China had been discharged from hospitals, said the health authority yesterday.

XINHUA, BLOOMBERG