China tightens controls on Russia border as number of imported coronavirus cases continues to rise
- Controls stepped up in Heilongjiang near small frontier city that accounts for a high proportion of cases brought from abroad
- Country reports 97 new imported infections on Saturday, the highest single day total
China has further tightened its border controls with Russia and is building another backup hospital to counter Covid-19 infections imported from its northern neighbour.
China reported 97 new cases of imported infections on Saturday, the highest single day total, bringing the total number of cases brought into China from abroad to 1,280.
The National Health Commission on Sunday asked the local governments to prepare for countering imported infection over the long run.
Suifenhe, a city in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, said on Sunday it would intensify border patrols and implement strict quarantine measures and health checks on all people coming from Russia.
The local authorities also announced a lockdown last week in the city of just 70,000 people
In tightened measures announced on Sunday, all gatherings were banned and train services cut between Suifenhe and Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province.