China to monetise Coronavirus with 'medical observation sites' for overseas travelers

In an attempt to monetise the global COVID-19 outbreak, China has not decided to charge travelers returning to the country after the outbreak. The Chinese officials quoted by state media announced the setting up of 149 'medical observation sites' for travelers to undergo a medical quarantine period of 14-days. 

Largely small and medium categories of hotels are converted into  'medical observation site' for overseas travelers coming to China, Beijing announced. The self-paid package of the medical site includes a single room for the occupant including regular health check-ups, psychological counseling, and meals that are to be eaten inside the rooms. China is charging anywhere between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000 per day for the users. 

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Coronavirus in China 

China reported no domestically transmitted coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day even as seven more fatalities have been confirmed, taking the death toll in the country to 3255. No new domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported on the Chinese mainland for the third day in a row on Friday, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Saturday. 

On Friday, seven deaths and 36 new suspected cases were reported on the mainland, with all the deaths reported from virus epicentre Hubei Province and it's capital Wuhan, it said. The overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 81,008 by the end of Friday, which included 3,255 who died, 6,013 patients still undergoing treatment, 71,740 patients who had been discharged after recovery, the NHC said. 

The commission said that 106 people were still suspected of being infected with the virus. The NHC said 41 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Friday from the people arriving from abroad, taking the total number of imported cases to 269. While reporting about a steady increase in imported cases, the NHC did not specify whether the infected persons were foreigners or Chinese nationals returning from abroad. China has imposed strict quarantine measures for all those returning from other countries.

(With PTI inputs) 

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