COVID-19 Spread in Jilin Province, China, Bordering North Korea

Jilin Province Tonghua City Dongchang District Designated High-Risk Area and Locked Down
As of the 19th, 46 of 88 Confirmed Cases Concentrated in Jilin Province

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] In Jilin Province, China, which borders North Korea, 46 people have been confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the National Health Commission of China (NHC) on the 20th, among the 88 locally transmitted confirmed cases nationwide reported the previous day, more than half, 46 cases, were from Jilin Province. Jilin Province had the highest number of confirmed cases in China for two consecutive days.

In particular, cases were concentrated in Tonghua City, Jilin Province, with a population of about 2 million, located approximately 100 km from Manpo, North Korea, with 7 confirmed cases on the 16th, 17 on the 17th, 34 on the 18th, and 36 on the 19th.

Accordingly, Dongchang District in Tonghua City was upgraded to a high-risk COVID-19 area on the same day. When designated as a high-risk area, residents of the area are not allowed to leave, and public transportation such as buses is suspended. Currently, there are five high-risk areas in China.

All other cumulative confirmed cases in Jilin Province, aside from Tonghua, were reported in the provincial capital, Changchun. At a press conference on the 17th, Jilin authorities revealed that one asymptomatic carrier transmitted the virus to 102 people across three regions in Jilin Province, and since many of these were diagnosed as asymptomatic infections, there is a possibility that confirmed cases will continue to emerge in Jilin Province for the time being.

As of the 19th, the number of locally transmitted confirmed cases in Hebei Province and Heilongjiang Province were 19 and 16 respectively, showing a decrease compared to the previous day. The total number of confirmed cases nationwide, including 15 imported cases, was 103.

Beijing reported 7 new confirmed cases on the 19th. Previously, at a school in Daxing District, Beijing, where cases had occurred, 1,081 students and staff were quarantined across 17 hotels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.