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BEIJING: China has closed a city on the border with Myanmar and will launch a massive coronavirus testing program, authorities said on Tuesday (September 15), after a handful of infections were detected there.
All three cases were found in the city of Ruili in western Yunnan province, a major land border crossing with neighboring Myanmar.
City officials said in a statement Tuesday that residents were told to stay home and that people were barred from entering or leaving the city since Monday night.
They said all residents would be tested for the virus in Ruili, which is home to more than 210,000 people.
Businesses have been closed except supermarkets, pharmacies and food markets.
The infections were brought in from Myanmar and Chinese authorities “will crack down on illegal immigrants,” the officials said.
Ruili is separated by a shallow river from the border town of Muse, Myanmar’s main gateway to China known for its seedy streets, guns, casinos and drugs.
Ruili deputy mayor Yang Bianqiang told a news conference on Monday that the city would repatriate those who cannot verify their arrival time in China, “they have no fixed residence and no fixed place to work.”
China has largely controlled the spread of the virus through a series of travel restrictions and strict closures, starting with the central city of Wuhan, where the virus appeared late last year.
However, there have been a number of localized outbreaks in recent months, including in the capital Beijing.
The country’s borders remain closed to most foreigners, and the majority of infections in recent months are due to returning foreign nationals.
Seven other cases were reported in China on Tuesday, all brought in from other countries, the National Health Commission said.
Myanmar is a vital piece of the China Belt and Road Initiative – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s US $ 1 trillion vision for maritime, rail and road projects in Asia, Africa and Europe, including a high-speed rail link proposed for US $ 8.9 billion from Yunnan to western Myanmar. coast.
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