People wearing face masks line up to receive the COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination site in Jiangxia District in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, June 9, 2021.Photo: Xinhua

Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that some Chinese nationals who returned from Afghanistan tested positive for COVID-19 after Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province, reported a total of 56 COVID-19 positive cases. 

All were from inbound international flights, 52 of whom are passengers from Afghanistan, Hubei provincial health commission reported on Wednesday.

According to information released by Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday via Sina Weibo, some people who recently returned from Afghanistan have been diagnosed with COVID-19 confirmed cases and asymptomatic cases. 

Many netizens have speculated whether the returnees are a part of an evacuation plan by the Chinese government, but the ministry did not specify on that. 

Of the 56 imported cases, 25 were confirmed to be COVID-19 patients. 22 of the confirmed cases flew to Wuhan from Afghanistan on July 2 and the other two confirmed patients came from Indonesia on June 28 and one from Indonesia on July 5, respectively, Hubei provincial health commission reported. 

The flight from Afghanistan, MF8008, also reported 30 asymptomatic cases. Another one asymptomatic patient flew to Wuhan from Jakarta, Indonesia on July 5, according to the health authorities. 

The foreign ministry also said on Wednesday that these returned Chinese are under quarantine and receiving medical treatment, but did not reveal if they are now in Wuhan. 

For some Chinese citizens who volunteered to stay in Afghanistan, the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan has assisted them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and will continue to provide necessary assistance, the ministry said.

Hubei province is heavily burdened with imported cases. Hubei health authorities said the province has received 34 asymptomatic cases who are now under medical observation who were from overseas countries including Pakistan, Indonesia and Afghanistan, as well as 711 close contacts, mostly returning from overseas.

Wuhan is home to many overseas students.

Local anti-epidemic rules require imported cases to Hubei to be quarantined for 14 days during which they will receive two nucleic acid tests and one antibody test. After that, there is another 14 days of medical observation during which nucleic acid tests will be conducted twice before they will be set free.