China reports 89 new COVID-19 cases

SHANGHAI: China reported 89 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (Apr 13), down from 108 the previous day, the health authority said on Tuesday.

Of the new cases, 86 were imported, down from 98 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said.

China’s state broadcaster had reported earlier that 79 of the day’s imported cases were in the northeast province of Heilongjiang, which shares a border with Russia.

The total number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 82,249. Its death toll from the pandemic stands at 3,341, with no new deaths on Apr 13. 

China fears a rise in imported cases could spark a second wave of COVID-19 and push the country back into a state of near paralysis.

Though the number of daily infections across China have dropped sharply from the height of the epidemic in February, China has seen the daily toll creep higher after hitting a trough on Mar 12 because of the rise in imported cases.

Chinese cities near the border with Russia are tightening border controls and imposing stricter quarantines in response to influx of infected patients from the country.

The land route through the city had become one of few options available for Chinese nationals trying to get into China after Russia stopped all flights to the country.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram