Holiday restrictions released in Guangdong

Anyone who comes to Guangdong province from an area of the country designated medium- or high-risk for coronavirus during the Lunar New Year holiday will be required to report to local villages, neighborhood committees, work units or hotels within 12 hours of arrival.

They will also be subject to quarantine for two weeks, Huang Fei, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission, said on Wednesday at a news conference in Guangzhou.

Government departments are urging local villages, neighborhood committees and related units to strengthen their management of people who come from risky areas — including inbound passengers on planes and trains, staff members from quarantine venues and fever clinics, cross-border truck drivers and workers in cold-chain food logistics — and to keep detailed records of their health status, Huang said.

The rules are aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the province, particularly in rural areas, during the Spring Festival period, which is usually a time for family reunions and other gatherings.

Companies and other organization are discouraged from holding group greetings, parties, banquets or training sessions around the Spring Festival period, Huang said.

Temple fairs, lantern shows, cross-city cultural performances, sports competitions and sales in shopping malls should be strictly controlled, he said.

Meanwhile local residents are encouraged to have a peaceful Spring Festival while minimizing the number of participants if they must proceed with weddings or funerals during the festival, which starts on Feb 12 this year.

Guangdong province reported three imported confirmed COVID-19 cases and another five imported asymptomatic patients on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, Guangdong had reported a total of 2,093 confirmed coronavirus patients, including 697 imported cases. Forty-one of the patients remain hospitalized.