Staff members check the information of passengers entering China at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, east China, March 18.Photo:Xinhua

The Wuhan health authority on Wednesday announced the first imported case of COVID-19, a 16-year-old student returning from the UK, who was counted as a confirmed case on Tuesday after testing positive for the virus and showing symptoms. 

Surnamed Zhou, the boy departed from Newcastle airport on March 21 and arrived at the Beijing Capital International Airport on March 23 via Dubai. He arrived in Wuhan through a chartered bullet train with other returnees on the same day and underwent isolation at a designated site.

Zhou tested positive on March 28 and was recorded as an asymptomatic case. He was confirmed as an imported case on Tuesday following a checkup based on clinical observation, laboratory examines and CT image tests.

China's National Health Commission reported 36 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, including 35 imported infections.

Global Times