Authorities yesterday locked down a Chinese city bordering Myanmar, shutting most businesses and requiring residents to stay at home as a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 expanded.
Another 15 cases were yesterday found in Ruili within 24 hours, on top of six in the previous two days, health authorities in southwestern Yunnan Province said.
The lockdown shut down all businesses and public institutions except hospitals, pharmacies and essential shops like grocery stores, a notice posted online said.
Photo: AP
It affects the urban part of Ruili, which like most Chinese cities includes surrounding rural areas in its jurisdiction.
Authorities on Monday banned unnecessary travel in and out of the city, after the first cases were reported.
The latest cases were discovered during mass testing, also including Burmese living in city, which has an active cross-border trade.
Authorities said they would step up border controls.
Myanmar yesterday reported 3,602 new cases within 24 hours, state media said.
Elsewhere in China, 52 travelers who arrived on a flight from Afghanistan on Friday tested positive for the virus, the Hubei Health Commission said.
Thirty have been classified as confirmed cases, while the other 22 did not show any COVID-19 symptoms, it said.
China does not include asymptomatic cases in its official tally.
Beijing has regularly imported cases on travelers, but usually in smaller numbers.
The Xiamen Air flight flew from Kabul to Wuhan, the city hit hard by the virus after it was first detected there in late 2019.
Virtually all people arriving in China must quarantine for two weeks in designated hotels.
Authorities in April launched a campaign to vaccinate the entire population of Ruili following an outbreak in March.
China has relied on tough lockdowns and mass testing to tamp down outbreaks, even as it has accelerated vaccinations.
Central health officials have said they want to vaccinate 80 percent of the population.
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