City on China-Russia border implements outbreak control measures

The city of Suifenhe at the China-Russia border in Heilongjiang province has been categorized as a medium-risk region for COVID-19 epidemic control, and has implemented a local health QR code that prevents local residents from leaving the city, the city's COVID-19 epidemic control department said on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the department, local residents who have to leave the city for special reasons must provide negative nucleic acid test results within three days before leaving.

For those who can't provide test results in case of emergency, such as seeking emergency medical treatment in other cities or the death of immediate family members, staff at detection checkpoints at exits can release them, but will immediately send their information to the epidemic control departments of their destinations.

Residents are required to scan health codes and ID cards at detection checkpoints when leaving the city, and registering temperature and other information is mandatory.

After arriving at their destinations, they will be placed under concentrated quarantine for 14 days and receive coronavirus tests two consecutive times.

The local government has also taken strict pandemic control measures by placing all travelers from high-risk areas under concentrated quarantine and undergoing coronavirus tests.

Travelers from medium-risk regions need no concentrated quarantine if they provide negative nucleic acid test results within three days.

Freight truck drivers and staff engaged in transportation of production and essentials out of the city will be released after strict information registry, a temperature test and code scanning.

Freight trucks that enter Suifenhe should be led and supervised during the whole route in the city and exit the city on the same day after unloading to avoid contact with others.

Since March 26, Suifenhe has reported 380 imported confirmed cases, and 36 patients were cured and discharged from hospital as of Saturday, according to the Heilongjiang health commission.

As of Saturday, the city had 13 imported asymptomatic cases, and 16 patients were cured and discharged from the hospital.

All cases were Chinese citizens who entered the Chinese mainland from Russia via the highway port of entry in Suifenhe.

The city reported no imported confirmed cases and one imported asymptomatic case on Sunday.