CHINA / SOCIETY
Beijing and Shanghai report new local transmission from imported COVID-19 cases
Published: Mar 24, 2020 10:03 AM

Shanghai Pudong International Airport enforces stringent measures to prevent the rise of imported coronavirus cases. Photo: Yang Hui/GT



Beijing and Shanghai reported one new locally transmitted COVID-19 case on Monday, respectively. It is the second and third local transmission of its kind, following one other case in Guangdong. 

Beijing reported 31 imported COVID-19 cases and one local case that was infected by an imported case from abroad.

Beijing vows to curb new local transmission caused by imported COVID-19 cases, and to take all necessary measures to close any loopholes. The capital on Tuesday reported one such case of local transmission in Haidian district.

From Wednesday, all people entering Beijing from overseas will be quarantined at designated facilities and will be tested for COVID-19.

The Shanghai individual had been in close contact with a COVID-19 patient who had caught the virus overseas. 

The Shanghai resident visited South China's Guangdong Province on a business trip between March 14 and 15, and became infected while there. Nine people who had close contact with the individual are now under centralized quarantine, according to Shanghai authorities on Tuesday.

Three commercial areas in Shanghai visited by the individual, including a convenience store in Baoshan district, have been disinfected.

Shanghai also reported nine new imported COVID-19 infections on Monday, bringing total imported cases to 75. 

Among them, four are Chinese nationals who had traveled from the US and the UK. One is a Shanghai resident who left New York on March 20, arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport the following day and was put under quarantine upon arrival. They later tested positive for COVID-19.

Another is a Danish citizen who left Switzerland on March 18 and arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport the next day via Frankfurt, Germany. The individual was put under quarantine upon arrival, and later tested positive for the virus.

Three are British citizens from the same family, who left London on March 19 and arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on March 20 via Bangkok, Thailand. They were placed under quarantine upon arrival and later tested positive for the virus.

By Monday, a total of 329 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospital in Shanghai.