China suffers biggest rise in new coronavirus cases for weeks after travel ban lifted

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Kit Heren14 April 2020

Coronavirus rates have jumped again in China, with 108 new cases confirmed on Sunday - the most for nearly six weeks.

The second wave of Covid-19 cases is believed to have been driven by travellers coming from abroad.

The new cases announced on Sunday are the most since the 143 that China reported on March 5. There were a further 99 confirmed cases on Saturday.

Numbers of new cases have been gradually increasing after reaching a low point of just 11 on March 13.

Medical staff treat COVID-19 coronavirus patients at a hospital in Wuhan
AFP via Getty Images

Total confirmed cases now stand at more than 83,000, with around 3,300 deaths related to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

China began to lift restrictions gradually in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak started in December, last week after more than two months.

Reuters

But there are growing concerns that imported cases could lead to a second wave of coronavirus cases in the country.

The 2,600-mile border with Russia to the north is reported to be a particular concern for the Chinese government. Many of the new cases are believed to have come from people returning from Russia.

Chinese border cities Suifenhe and Harbin said they would put in place 28-day quarantines for new arrivals to help slow the spread of infections.

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