China has already announced that the Coronavirus outbreak in the country is now under control. But recently a city in China, Shulan, which is located in the north-eastern province of Jilin bordering North Korea, has ordered to partially close some of the facilities as the local authorities noticed a surge in Coronavirus cases.
Jilin ordered to close the most essential services in Shulan city, while authorities requested local residents to stay at home. On Sunday, the province raised its virus threat alert level to the high risk from the medium.
As per local health authorities, on Saturday, Shulan reported 11 new COVID-19 cases. Currently, the city is investigating the source of the infection after a police employee got infected by the SARS-CoV-2, reported the South China Morning Post.
New COVID-19 cases in China
On Sunday, Chinese authorities reported an increase in both new and asymptomatic cases. As per the reports, there were 14 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, including the newly detected infection cases in Shulan. Till Saturday, Jilin province has recorded a total of 105 locally transmitted SARS-CoV-2 cases and 19 imported ones. These cases also include first coronavirus case in Wuhan since April 3.
While officials in China designated all areas of the country as low-risk last Thursday, the new cases represent a jump from the single case reported from the day before.
As per the state-run media organization Xinhua News Agency, on Saturday the Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his willingness to provide support for the neighbouring country North Korea to fight against the Coronavirus in a reply to a verbal message from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has been in the news for a while for his alleged poor health condition and death rumours.
North Korea media reported on Sunday that the supreme leader Kim Jong Un has received the message sent by the Chinese leader, pleading cooperation in battling against the Coronavirus pandemic. It should be noted that even though North Korea officially did not reveal anything about their COVID-19 cases, a few reports claimed that there are over 5,400 people who were released from quarantine as of March.
As per another report, a North Korean defector was shot by Chinese guards during his attempt to cross the Tumen River which divides North Korea from China on April 20. But the surprising fact is when the man was taken to a hospital in China due to the injuries, he tested positive for the Coronavirus. Since North Korea decided to keep its COVID-19 cases as a secret, the April incident indicates that China's border areas are in constant threat of noticing a spike in infection cases.
