Fresh quarantine measures in China's Harbin after new coronavirus COVID-19 infects 70 people: Reports

China has imposed fresh quarantine measures in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, after a new outbreak was detected that infected at least 70 people in according to reports. According to a DailyMail report, more than 4,000 are undergoing tests in the city of around 10 million after claims that the virus was brought into the city by a student who returned from New York. 

Following this, officials have imposed several restrictions, including banned gatherings, and asked the communities to closely monitor non-local visitors and vehicles, according to the report. To screen those coming from outside, checkpoints have been installed at the train stations and airport.

The city has been dealing with what is now the country's biggest COVID-19 outbreak. The government on April 22, gave further order on restrictions on its residents, visitors and inbound traffic. 

It has directed that before entering any public facilities and residential complexes, the people must use a government-approved health app to prove that they aren't infected, have their temperature checked and wear a face mask, said the report quoting the notice.

The notice asked residents to adhere to social-distancing measures, adding that funerals, weddings, public performances and conferences are banned. 

All confirmed, suspected, asymptomatic cases and their close contacts will be put into strict quarantine. Their neighbours in the same building must be isolated at home for two weeks with 24x7 surveillance. Asymptomatic cases are those who carry the virus but show no symptoms. They can still spread the virus to others.

Anyone in home-quarantine must pass two nucleic acid tests, which detect the coronavirus, and one anti-body test, which shows if the person has had the virus in the past. The city had already ordered isolation for those arriving from outside China or key epidemic areas.

The city's government said in April it was ordering 28 days of quarantine for all arrivals from abroad, with two nucleic acid tests and an antibody test for each.