BEIJING, March 23, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – China reported no new local cases of
the deadly coronavirus on Monday, but confirmed another 39 infections brought
in from overseas.
Nine more people died, the National Health Commission said, all in the
epicentre city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged late last year.
Two months after China took the dramatic steps to lock down some 56 million
people in Wuhan and the surrounding province of Hubei, infections have slowed
dramatically, and for five consecutive days there have been no new cases in
the province.
Travel and work restrictions in the province have been gradually eased and
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan earlier this month — his first
since the crisis erupted.
As the rate of infection slows in China, the rest of the world has stepped
up measures to try and battle the raging pandemic.
China is anxious about an influx of infections brought in from other
countries, with the number of imported cases climbing steadily over recent
weeks to pass 350.
Of the 39 new cases reported Monday, ten were in Shanghai and ten were in
Beijing.
Many cities have brought in tough rules to quarantine new arrivals, and the
country’s aviation authorities announced Sunday that it would divert all
Beijing-bound international flights to other cities where they will be
screened for the virus.
There have now been over 81,000 cases in China, and the death toll has
reached 3,270.
The outbreak has killed more than 14,400 people worldwide.