Ruili: Ruili, a city in Yunnan province that lies on the border with Myanmar, has begun free mass nucleic acid testing of all residents after reporting two cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, both illegal immigrants who arrived in the city recently.
“From 10 pm on Monday, no people will be allowed in or out of Ruili’s urban area for a week except under special circumstances, and all residents will be placed under home-based isolation,” Xie Dapeng, the city’s mayor, told a news conference on Monday night.
“Those who had left Ruili since Saturday should report to community authorities at their destinations and take nucleic acid tests,” he said. “Before the mass testing campaign finishes, all business operations and public transportation will be halted, except for those related to selling or delivering daily essentials, such as food and drugs.” The two imported cases are both Myanmar citizens－a 32-year-old woman surnamed Yang and a 16-year-old nanny hired by Yang. They crossed the border from Myanmar to China illegally on Sept 3, along with three of Yang’s children and another nanny. They lived together in an apartment in a residential community. On Sunday, the pair were confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus. A total of 190 close contacts were tracked down by 4 pm on Monday, and 98 of them who had taken the tests showed negative results.
The two-block residential community where they lived has been locked down since 7:30 pm on Saturday, and 1,185 of its residents tested negative for the virus. There are 1,560 residents in total. Local police are also investigating the case and will punish those who organize or aid illegal crossings.
To prevent a new wave of infections, the city is ramping up border controls－locking down all border villages, prohibiting any cross-border movement and heightening precautions against illegal immigration. A citywide screening campaign targeting illegal immigrants has also been launched to identify hidden risks that could aid the spread of the virus.
The local government will also enhance communication with Myanmar, transmitting information on the conditions of the two cases and urging the country to step up border controls.
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
