Community warned over virus enforcement mistakes

Xingfuli community in Jixi, Heilongjiang province, was told by local authorities that it should apologize for imposing improper measures on returnees, Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

Staff members of the community had reportedly stuck a paper seal on the door of a returnee from a low-risk region for COVID-19 to prevent any outdoor activity. The Jiguan district government immediately launched an investigation.

During a news conference for epidemic prevention and control held on Sunday afternoon, district officials urged related departments to screen for misinterpreted prevention measures across the district.

For people who only need to monitor their health condition, nobody can force them into home quarantine or lock them up at home.

Heilongjiang had found 22 new locally transmitted confirmed cases and nine asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 on Sunday, the provincial health commission said on Monday.

All the cases were found in Suihua's Wangkui county and the provincial capital, Harbin, the two major affected areas in the recent outbreak.

The Harbin government punished 12 officials for failing to prevent and control the cluster of infections traced to a local food company during the recent outbreak.

These officials were given punishments that included Party warnings, the city's disciplinary watchdog said on Sunday. 

As of Sunday, there were 515 confirmed cases and 531 asymptomatic carriers in the province. Neighboring Jilin province reported 10 new local confirmed cases on Sunday, the provincial health commission said on Monday. No asymptomatic or suspected cases were reported.

As of Sunday in Jilin, there were 350 confirmed cases, including 35 people in serious condition and 16 asymptomatic carriers.