China Implements New Border Quarantine Measures for Infectious Diseases

On Monday, China unveiled lists specifying infectious diseases that will trigger quarantine and prevention efforts at its borders, as part of a strategy to effectively manage and limit outbreaks. This announcement was made by the National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the General Administration of Customs. Contagious diseases subject to border quarantine include severe threats such as plague, cholera, yellow fever, and Ebola, among others. Local customs authorities will now have the power to implement on-site health measures for individuals confirmed or suspected to be infected and will collaborate with local health authorities to ensure these patients are transferred to appropriate medical facilities for isolation and treatment.

Moreover, the new framework also identifies 26 illnesses, including COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and measles, which will be closely monitored. Incoming travelers who may display symptoms of these diseases will receive guidance from customs to seek hospital evaluations, with local healthcare facilities instructed to prioritize their care.

The release of these catalogs follows a recent amendment to the Law on Frontier Health and Quarantine, which mandates the establishment of such lists to enhance the identification of infections among international travelers, streamline medical responses, and enforce control measures effectively. The National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention highlighted that conducting surveillance of significant contagious diseases at entry points will be vital for early detection and prevention of cross-border epidemic transmission.

The statement emphasized the effort to strike a balance between effective disease control and the convenience of customs processes. Apart from noninvasive methods like thermal scanning and medical patrols, in-depth epidemiological investigations will mainly target those exhibiting unusual symptoms, rather than all travelers indiscriminately.

Customs officials are also upgrading quarantine protocols and are working on deploying advanced smart quarantine technologies to boost operational efficiency. There are ongoing improvements in communication between customs and health authorities as well as training for medical personnel to enhance the response to disease reporting at ports. Authorities are dedicated to coordinating their quarantine measures, ensuring comprehensive medical screenings, and implementing necessary treatments to prevent the spread of infectious agents. Additionally, travelers crossing borders are urged to disclose their health status to customs officials if they experience symptoms like fever, cough, or breathing difficulties, or if they have been diagnosed with relevant illnesses.