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China targets travellers at its borders in strategy change to stop coronavirus spread
- People leaving or entering China will be checked for symptoms, contact with infected persons or travel from areas with a high number of infections
- China prepared to evacuate its citizens from overseas areas with serious outbreaks, foreign ministry says
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China will step up monitoring of the health of travellers entering and leaving the country in a change of strategy to stop the international spread of the coronavirus as the number of cases in other countries surges, the central government said on Sunday.
With the number of new domestic cases falling, the announcement indicates a widening in Beijing’s anti-virus strategy to include a focus on preventing contagion between countries.
The foreign ministry also announced that, if necessary, China would repatriate citizens in countries seriously affected by Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
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The reports came as new coronavirus cases in China continued to slow, while infections in other countries rose sharply, raising concerns about a possible worldwide pandemic.
New South Korean cases exceeded those in China for a third straight day and included a 45-day-old boy.
In addition, Beijing and Tokyo are considering postponing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Japan now scheduled for April until the autumn because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, Japanese media reported on Sunday, citing diplomatic sources in both countries.
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