China makes 2-week quarantine compulsory for foreign returnees as 'imported' cases rise

China on Sunday reported 10 more fatalities due to vel coronavirus, taking death toll to 3,199, while imported cases rose to 111, prompting authorities to order a compulsory 14-day quarantine in "special facilities" for foreigners arriving here from Monday.

China's National Health Commissions (NHC) said 20 new confirmed cases of vel coronavirus infection and 10 deaths were reported from all over country on Saturday.

Sixteen imported cases were reported on mainland Saturday. Among m, five were reported in Beijing, four in Zhejiang Province, three in both Shanghai and Gansu Province, as well as one in Guangdong Province. By end of Saturday, 111 imported cases h been reported, NHC said.

With increase in imported cases, Beijing local government has anunced to send all international arrivals into city to quarantine facilities starting Monday as part of stepped-up measures against COVID-19 cases from abro.

People arriving from abro h previously been allowed to undergo mandatory two-week quarantine at home, but w only those in "special circumstances" will be exempted from being sent to facilities where y must pay for ir stay, state-run Beijing Daily reported Sunday.

Only four new domestic cases were detected, all in Hubei province's capital Wuhan, city where virus first emerged in December before growing into a national crisis and a pandemic.

All 10 deaths were in Wuhan, bringing national toll from disease in mainland China to 3,199.

overall confirmed cases on mainland reached 80,778 by end of Saturday, including 3,199 people who died of disease in last three months, 10,734 patients still undergoing treatment and 66,911 patients discharged after recovery, it said.

By end of Saturday, 141 confirmed cases including four deaths h been reported in Hong Kong Special, 10 confirmed cases in Macao and 53 in Taiwan including one death.

" locally transmitted confirmed cases have been reported in Hubei outside Wuhan for 10 consecutive days," Mi Feng, spokesperson for National Health Commission, said Sunday at a press conference in Beijing.

Mi ted that daily number of newly confirmed indigeus cases on mainland outside Hubei Province has been in single digits since February 27, with new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported for three consecutive days.

Currently, most pressing and important task is to prioritise medical treatment work and strive to improve cure rate, state-run Xinhua news ncy quoted Mi as saying.

China's Ministry of Education has anunced that though COVID-19 is slowing down, schools won't resume until local authorities put virus outbreak under control and roll out necessary containment measures.

Wang Dengfeng, director of ministry's working group on epidemic control, said local authorities shall consult experts before reopening schools and safety of faculty members should be ensured.

Resumption would be prioritised for gruating classes in middle and high school, as y were supposed to sit for high school or college entrance examination in about 80 days, he was quoted as saying by China Central Television.

Wang said that ministry is seeking vice from related departments as well as representatives of students and parents on wher to postpone college entrance exams and decisions will be me soon.

Local authorities are entitled to decide wher to postpone exam for high school candidates, state-run China Daily reported on Saturday.

dely vel coronavirus has claimed over 5,300 lives and infected more than 142,000 people across 135 countries and territories, with World Health Organisation describing outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday. PTI KJV ZH CPS