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China puts a second city under lock and key in the space of four days amid growing fears of a return of the coronavirus
- The city of Jilin imposed the blockade on its 4.5 million residents on Wednesday.
- Shulan, a city of 600,000 people, was closed over the weekend
- The cities of Jilin and Shulan are located in the same north-western province of Jilin.
- Comes as a local infection group that raised fears of a second wave of outbreaks
- Here we show you how to help people affected by Covid-19
A second Chinese city has entered a draconian blockade today after the emergence of a local coronavirus group that has fueled growing fears of a second wave of infections in China.
The northeastern city of Jilin, with a population of more than four million, closed its borders and suspended public transport on Wednesday. Not all residents are allowed to enter or leave their residential complexes unless necessary.
All closed cinemas, gyms, internet cafes and other entertainment venues in Jilin must close immediately, and pharmacies must report all sales of fever and antiviral drugs, the Jilin government said in a statement.
A second Chinese city has been driven to draconian closure today after the emergence of a local coronavirus group that has fueled growing fears of a second wave of infections in China. A police officer guides a car driver to record information at a highway exit in Jilin
A staff member wearing protective gear talks to a truck driver at the exit of a highway in Jilin, as the city has been under the coronavirus blockade today
Local authorities also said that residents are only allowed to leave the city if they obtain reports showing that they have tested negative for COVID-19 in the past 48 hours and complete an unspecified period of “strict self-isolation.”
It comes four days after a neighboring city, Shulan, a city of 600,000 people, was shut down over the weekend after registering 12 cases of COVID-19 in the space of two days, all linked to the same source.
The cities of Jilin and Shulan are located in the homonymous province of Jilin, which borders Russia and North Korea.
Jilin City reported six new confirmed cases on Wednesday, all linked to the Shulan group, bringing the total number of cases linked to a local laundry worker to 21.
A group of infections were reported in the Shulan suburb over the weekend, and Jilin’s deputy mayor warned on Wednesday that the situation was “extremely severe and complicated” and “there is a great risk of further spread.”
A group of infections were reported in the Shulan suburb over the weekend, and Jilin’s deputy mayor warned on Wednesday that the situation was “extremely serious and complicated” and “there is a high risk of further spread.”
Jilin City reported six new confirmed cases on Wednesday, all linked to the Shulan group, bringing the total number of cases linked to a local laundry worker to 21. Police officers wearing protective suits stand guard outside the station. Jilin City Railway Station on May 13.
A total of 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Shulan, according to official figures.
All cases were related to a local laundry worker, a 45-year-old woman who tested positive on May 7 and was reported as the first confirmed infection. But it is unclear how the patient contracted the virus.
Shulan closed public transportation and trains leaving the city on Sunday.
Police officers in protective suits are seen standing guard outside the Jilin city railway station
The city of Jilin, the second largest in Jilin province, also suspended train services from its main train station on Wednesday morning, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
China has largely controlled the virus, but has been on the brink of a possible second wave as it has lifted blockades and restrictions across the country.
The emergence of new cases in Wuhan in the past few days, after weeks without new infections, has sparked a campaign to evaluate the 11 million residents in the city where COVID-19 first emerged late last year.
A total of 21 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Jilin province. Fourteen of them were found in Shulan and seven were reported in Jilin city.
The province also recorded a total of 12 imported cases, and nine of them recovered, according to officials. No deaths have been reported from domestic and imported infections.
