BEIJING (CHINA) – China plans to implement strict COVID testing requirements during the Lunar New Year holiday season, when tens of millions of people are likely to travel.
Shanghai reported its first locally transmitted cases in two months on Thursday.
Authorities are asking people to stay home during the February holiday season in their effort.
A total of 144 new cases were reported on January 20, the National Health Commission said on Thursday, and marked the highest number of daily infections since March 1.
Of the 126 new local infections, Heilongjiang accounted for 68 while Jilin reported 33. Hebei, which had so far seen the biggest spike in cases this month, reported 20 new cases, and Beijing reported two cases.
The number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed infections, rose to 113 from 58 a day earlier.
In a notice posted online, China’s National Health Commission said people returning to rural areas from other provinces over the Lunar New Year period should have a negative COVID-19 test taken within seven days.
A majority of China’s 280 million rural migrant workers usually travel back to their villages during this time of the year.
The notice said people who work with imported cold chain products, or quarantine facility workers, among other groups, would also have to undergo a test, even if they stayed in the same province.
An announcement from an NHC official during a Wednesday news conference had implied that everyone returning home would have to go through a test. Official media Xinhua then published an article urging officials to clarify details “as soon as possible.”
The city will also test all Chinese nationals entering the city from areas placed into category of being medium or high-risk for COVID-19 and will need them to quarantine for three weeks. Two of them will be in centralised facilities.
Shanghai on Thursday reported three local COVID-19 cases, its first such infections since November 23. The city launched mass testing of all hospital workers earlier Thursday after two such workers at different facilities were found to be “suspicious” with COVID-19 test results this week.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 88,701, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,635.