Inbound travelers to Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province are now required to undergo 14-day quarantine and medical observation and make health declarations, according to a statement released on March 21 by the province’s novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic prevention and control department.
 
Officials said the Heilongjiang authority is stepping up measures to prevent coronavirus cases from being imported from other virus-hit countries and regions.
 
The measures are targeting all inbound travelers -- foreigners as well as returnee Chinese.
 
When inbound travelers arrive in Heilongjiang, they are required to declare their health condition, fill in a commitment letter and apply for a "Longjiang Health Code" before they undergo quarantine and medical observation.
 
Officials said they need to receive nucleic acid testing before medical observation is lifted.
 
Those with special risks and those with symptoms during quarantine will be transferred to designated medical institutions for further investigation and diagnosis.
 
Elderly people aged 70 and over, minors under 14 years old, pregnant women and those with underlying diseases are not suitable for centralized observation and could receive quarantine and observation at home after strict evaluation, officials said.
 
The health declarations will include inbound traveler’s identification information, phone numbers, visited countries, date of return, transportation methods, itinerary within 14 days, health status and the purpose of entry.
 
Meanwhile, inbound travelers are required to actively comply with the local epidemic prevention and control requirements and strictly implement the control measures for centralized quarantine and medical observation for 14 days.
 
Inbound travelers entering China through cities outside Beijing and heading to Heilongjiang will be managed by their residential community in which they belong, if they have received 14-day medical observation at their ports of entry.
 
Travelers showing symptoms, suspected cases, confirmed cases, asymptomatic infections and positive test cases will be transferred to a designated medical institution for further investigation and diagnosis.
 
All the fees incurred during the 14-day quarantine and medical observation period in Heilongjiang, will be borne by the inbound travelers at their own expense.
 
Confirmed or suspected cases who participate in China’s basic medical insurance, will have part of the financial burden for diagnosis and treatment subsidized.
 
Confirmed or suspected cases who do not participate in China’s basic medical insurance will pay for their diagnosis and treatment.
 
For other imported cases that have difficulties, medical assistance can be provided in accordance with the laws and regulations after being identified through strict procedures.
 
Officials said those refusing to cooperate with the epidemic prevention and control measures, and those concealing their history of overseas residence shall bear the legal consequences.