International

New Coronavirus Outbreak In Northern China Puts City Of 11 Million On Lockdown

By Daniel M

April 23, 2020

Authorities in China have placed a city on lockdown as the country battles to prevent a second wave of the potentially deadly coronavirus.

A 22-year-old student surnamed Han had returned to China from New York last month.

She had gone through a 14-day quarantine and showed no symptoms of the bug.

Harbin health authorities say she was a “silent carrier” of the virus.

Unaware, she went on to infect her neighbours who then hosted a gathering.

A guest at the gathering was later taken hospital with a stroke which then led to the infection breaking out at two local hospitals, reports Shanghaiist.

Coronavirus has now gone on to infect 70 people including patients in Inner Mongolia and Liaoning province.

Harbin has reported 52 active confirmed cases and 23 asymptomatic infections.

The city has implemented a strict lockdown, with gates to all communities and villages remaining guarded.

Citizens have been asked to wear face masks when stepping out of villages, as well as have their temperatures checked.

Public events have been cancelled and gatherings have been banned.

On April 8, dozens of residents drove up to the border of Wuhan as the Chinese authorities ended the city’s 76-day coronavirus lockdown.

However, this week a fresh cluster of coronavirus cases have been reported among medical staff at a medical facility in China.