Shandong tightens quarantine to reduce imported infections

East China's Shandong province has joined several other regions in the country to tighten quarantine rules for people traveling from abroad to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

All people traveling to Shandong from abroad should be quarantined in designated places or at home for 14 days, Ma Lixin, deputy director of the Shandong provincial health commission told a press briefing on Tuesday.

The latest measure came at a time when China is reporting more imported COVID-19 cases as the epidemic situation has worsened in many other parts of the world.

If any confirmed or suspected cases were found during the quarantine, authorities would trace their close contacts and send the confirmed cases to designated hospitals, Ma said.

Also on Tuesday, local authorities in Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong, ordered incoming passengers to report their information to the city government online 72 hours in advance of their arrivals. The required information includes the arrival time, current country, flight number and health condition.

The rule applies to all inbound travelers, regardless of their nationalities and whether they come directly to the city or via other cities nationwide.