Chinese City of Manzhouli Temporarily Halts Rail Imports After a Sudden Spike in COVID-19 Cases

Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese government has maintained a strict zero-risk approach, using targeted lockdowns, border controls, and mass testing to keep outbreaks under control. Manzhouli, a city of 231,000 located in Inner Mongolia, handles 65 percent of China-Russia trade. The city has reported 91 new cases, prompting local authorities to impose localized lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Starting on Wednesday (12-1-21), authorities said its railway port will “suspend the import of non-containerized goods including timber, coal, mineral powder, chemical fertilizers, and other products that require manual loading and unloading.” The aim is to “strengthen prevention and control” of the outbreak at ports and “effectively block the spread of overseas epidemics through imported goods,” the notice added.

Infected patients have included workers in the timber industry and those who load and unload goods. National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said this week that, “Since November, most of our newly confirmed domestic cases have been concentrated at border and port cities.”