CHINA / SOCIETY
Shanghai strengthens measures over people coming from Qingdao
Published: Oct 13, 2020 10:39 AM

Tourists visit Yuyuan Garden in East China's Shanghai, October 8, 2020. Photo:Xinhua

Shanghai will implement new measures that mean those entering the city from COVID-19 medium-risk regions in China will have to undergo 14-day community health management, after new cases were found in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, according to Shanghai Fabu, the official social media account of the municipal government, on Tuesday. 

Qingdao health authorities announced at a Monday press conference that Loushanhou community had been upgraded to a medium-risk region. The community is where the Qingdao Chest Hospital, a designated hospital treating COVID-19 patients overseas, is located, and where the new cases were found.

Those who arrived in Shanghai from the region between September 30 and October 6 will receive a COVID-19 nucleic acid test for free, while those arriving at the city between October 7 and 12 will take the free tests twice.

All people from the medium-risk region have to report to the neighborhood committees they belong to or the hotels they are staying within 12 hours and undergo strict 14-day home quarantine starting from Tuesday. They will take tests twice for free, according to the local health authorities.

Since Monday, some local health authorities across China, including South China's Hainan Province, Southwest China's Guizhou Province and Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu Province have strengthened controls over travellers from the medium-risk region in a bid to reduce the risk.

As of Tuesday morning, Qingdao had tested over 3 million people in the wake of 12 new COVID-19 infections.

The Chinese mainland reported 13 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, seven imported and six locally transmitted cases, the national health authority said on Tuesday.

Also, local schools in Shanghai are required to check the health code for those students and faculty members from the medium-risk region, and require them to follow related measures. Hospitals also have to strengthen management in accordance with the new rules.

Residents with any COVID-19 symptoms including fever must promptly go to nearby fever clinics and wear face masks, the city authorities said.