China Strengthens Border Control for Infectious Diseases

China Strengthens Border Control for Infectious Diseases. Chinese border authorities have conducted health screenings on over 600 million people at international ports. This has occurred over the past five years, Reuters reports. As a result, more than 180,000 cases of infectious diseases have been detected. This was stated by Zhao Zhenglian, Deputy Director General of the customs agency responsible for border health control, during a press conference in Beijing.

In addition, over 300 million vehicles and vessels were inspected, during which 5.25 million vector-borne diseases were detected. According to authorities, the entry of over 30 different types of diseases has been prevented.

The measures are part of the refined protocols imposed under the ‘zero COVID’ policy, which remain a key element of the country’s health strategy.

Australia and the United Kingdom are already warning their citizens about possible medical screenings when traveling to China, while Beijing simultaneously strives to revive tourism and attract foreign investment.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, authorities have been monitoring imported cases of chikungunya and Mpox particularly carefully, maintaining a coordinated control system between quarantine stations and health services.