Quarantine measures extended to more mainland China cities

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center has recently announced that the quarantine period will be lengthened to 21 days for individuals arriving from places outside of mainland China. The decision was made in response to the fast spreading coronavirus variant, the center explained.
Currently, only Macau, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan residents are allowed into Macau, unless residents of the last three groups have visited a country outside of the Greater China Region in the 21 days prior. A small group of nationals from other countries, on the other hand, are also allowed in if they fulfil certain requirements.
In addition, the center’s list of mid-risk areas is expanding, with several Chinese administrative regions included. Entrants from these regions will be quarantined for 14 days as they arrive in Macau.
The list of Chinese regions includes Beijing’s Nanfaxin and Gaoliying Townships, Shenli Street in Beijing’s Shunyi District, and Dashanzi Community of Jiuxianqiao Subdistrict in Beijing’s Chaoyang District.
The list also includes Pitong Town, Xipu Town and Tangchang Town in Pidu District; and Tiaodenghe Subdistrict of Chenghua District in Chengdu, Sichuan. Several regions in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang and Liaoning are also on the list.
On Saturday, mainland China reported 22 newly confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 12 locally transmitted cases and 10 arriving from outside the Mainland, the National Health Commission said yesterday.
Seven of the locally transmitted cases were reported in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, while five were reported in Beijing, the commission said in its daily report.
Meanwhile, Beijing has urged residents not to leave the city during the Lunar New Year holiday in February, implementing new restrictions after several new infections last week.
Two domestic cases were reported on Friday, a convenience store worker and a Hewlett Packard Enterprise employee. Another two asymptomatic cases were discovered in Beijing earlier in the week.
Beijing is conducting targeted testing in the neighborhoods and workplaces where the cases were found.
To contain any new outbreaks, the Beijing government has also canceled large gatherings such as sports events and temple fairs. It says applications for any major events will be strictly reviewed. Venues such as cinemas, libraries and museums have to operate at 75% capacity, the government said.
It also called on companies not to arrange business trips outside the city and abroad.
Lunar New Year is on February 12.
Separately, officials in the northeastern port city of Dalian said on Friday that they had tested over 4.75 million people for Covid-19 after 24 confirmed infections this month.
Authorities have shut schools and public spaces in five neighborhood divisions in Dalian, and only essential workers can leave their compounds to go to work. MDT/AP

Mainland cities included in Macau’s list of mid-risk areas

Beijing –  Nanfaxin and Gaoliying Townships
Shenli Street in Shunyi District
Dashanzi Community of Jiuxianqiao Subdistrict in Chaoyang District

Chengdu – Pitong Town, Xipu Town and Tangchang Town in Pidu District
Tiaodenghe Subdistrict of Chenghua District

Several regions in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang and Liaoning