The city of Beijing tightened curbs on inbound travelers ahead of the peak Lunar New Year travel season kicking off on Thursday, requiring negative COVID-19 test results even from individuals arriving from China’s low-risk areas.
People from low-risk areas in China arriving between January 28 and March 15 must show negative results for COVID-19 tests taken within seven days before entry, a spokesman of the Beijing city government said on Wednesday.
Visitors from areas of high- or medium-risk areas where infections have been found, or from cities that are under lockdown, are not to enter Beijing, according to existing rules.
After arrival, travelers who are allowed in must monitor their health for signs of infection for 14 days, though they will be allowed to move freely, and COVID-19 tests will also be performed on the seventh and 14th day.
The tighter measures come even as mainland China recorded its lowest daily increase in COVID-19 cases in more than two weeks.
The curbs will also overlap with the start of China’s annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing on March 5.
Earlier on Wednesday, the National Health Commission said 75 new confirmed cases were reported in mainland China on January 26, down from 82 a day earlier.
Fifty-five of the new cases were local transmissions, with the remaining 20 classified as imported cases.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in mainland China now stands at 89,272. The death toll remains at 4,636.
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