Chinese city of 2.8million braces for second wave of coronavirus cases from ‘mysterious source’

A north-eastern Chinese city with 2.8million residents has been hit with a fresh wave of coronavirus cases as officials scramble to hunt down the ‘unknown source’ of a new infection cluster.

The city of Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang province has recorded a total of 11 domestic infections with no symptoms in the past three days, prompting local authorities to shut down public transport.

Railway and coach stations were closed yesterday. Domestic and international flights were all cancelled. Schools suspended classes and sent students home.

The city government has yet to release an official notice to seal off all residential complexes, but online posts from citizens have claimed that their compounds were put under isolation.

The city of Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang province has recorded a total of 11 domestic infections with no symptoms in the past three days. The file picture taken on April 20 shows a resident having his temperature taken before he enters a local community in Mudanjiang

Local health authorities Tuesday reported the first two cases, a couple who contracted the killer bug from an unknown source. This file picture taken on April 21 shows staff members keeping watch at a checkpoint in Suifenhe of China's north-eastern Heilongjiang province

Local health authorities Tuesday reported the first two cases, a couple who contracted the killer bug from an unknown source. This file picture taken on April 21 shows staff members keeping watch at a checkpoint in Suifenhe of China’s north-eastern Heilongjiang province

The city of Mudanjiang, located in the Heilongjiang province of north-eastern China, has recorded a total of 11 domestic infections with no symptoms in the past three days

The city of Mudanjiang, located in the Heilongjiang province of north-eastern China, has recorded a total of 11 domestic infections with no symptoms in the past three days

On Wednesday, Mudanjiang officials reported five more asymptomatic patients. Another four new infections were reported by the local authorities today. This file photo taken on April 24, shows a medical worker taking swab samples of a Chinese man for nucleic acid testing

On Wednesday, Mudanjiang officials reported five more asymptomatic patients. Another four new infections were reported by the local authorities today. This file photo taken on April 24, shows a medical worker taking swab samples of a Chinese man for nucleic acid testing

Local health authorities Tuesday reported the cluster’s first two cases, a couple who contracted the killer bug from an unknown source that officials are still trying to track down.

The city of Mudanjiang is situated in a north-eastern Chinese region of over 100million people, Dongbei, which has been ravaged by the deadly disease after two cities went into Wuhan-style lockdown this month. 

On Wednesday, Mudanjiang officials reported five more asymptomatic patients. Another four new infections were reported by the local authorities today.

The nine infected residents were said to have had close contact with the couple who first contracted the deadly virus, according to official statements.

Authorities said that the first two patients were detected while local officials were conducting coronavirus screening in the city.

The residential complex where the couple lived has been sealed off, with no outsider allowed to enter, according to Chinese media.

The city has yet to enter lockdown but its public transport services including trains and buses have been closed, according to an official statement Tuesday.

A video released by Pear Video today shows the city’s airport empty with shut doors as a staff member said that all flights had been cancelled with no confirmed dates of resuming.

The city of Mudanjiang is situated in a north-eastern Chinese region of over 100million people, Dongbei, which is ravaged by the deadly disease after two cities went into lockdown in May

The city of Mudanjiang is situated in a north-eastern Chinese region of over 100million people, Dongbei, which is ravaged by the deadly disease after two cities went into lockdown in May

Shulan, a city of 700,000 people located in Jilin province, has been under lockdown since May 9 after reporting 12 COVID-19 cases in the space of two days. The picture taken on May 17 shows an entrance of a market is blocked in the Jilin city of Jilin province in Dongbei region

Shulan, a city of 700,000 people located in Jilin province, has been under lockdown since May 9 after reporting 12 COVID-19 cases in the space of two days. The picture taken on May 17 shows an entrance of a market is blocked in the Jilin city of Jilin province in Dongbei region

A 'mysterious' cluster of COVID-19 infections has ravaged a Chinese region of over 100 million residents as footage captures throngs of hazmat-clad workers conduct mass-testing on the citizens under Wuhan-style lockdown. Pictured, a group of medical workers wait to be disinfected as they line up to submit the COVID-19 samples in the city of Jilin on May 17

A ‘mysterious’ cluster of COVID-19 infections has ravaged a Chinese region of over 100 million residents as footage captures throngs of hazmat-clad workers conduct mass-testing on the citizens under Wuhan-style lockdown. Pictured, a group of medical workers wait to be disinfected as they line up to submit the COVID-19 samples in the city of Jilin on May 17

It comes after the provincial capital of Heilongjiang, Harbin city, adopted draconian quarantine measures in late April after reporting more than 70 infections.

The virus was believed to be ‘imported’ into the city by a student who had returned from New York. 

The city of Mudanjiang is situated in the Dongbei area in north-eastern China. Growing fears of a second wave have been fuelled in the vast region with 108million residents after two cities from the area went under Wuhan-style lockdown in May.

Shulan, a city of 700,000 people located in Jilin province, has been under lockdown since May 9 after reporting 12 COVID-19 cases in the space of two days.

Four days later, the city of Jilin, with a population of more than four million, shut down its borders and suspended public transport after reporting six new confirmed cases, all linked to the infection cluster in Shulan.

Four days later, the city of Jilin, with a population of more than four million, shut down its borders and suspended public transport after reporting six new confirmed cases, all linked to the infection cluster in Shulan. Police officers guard outside Jilin's railway station on May 13

Four days later, the city of Jilin, with a population of more than four million, shut down its borders and suspended public transport after reporting six new confirmed cases, all linked to the infection cluster in Shulan. Police officers guard outside Jilin’s railway station on May 13

According to Jilin officials, a total of twenty COVID-19 patients are being treated at local hospitals. Two deaths have been reported. A volunteer is seen scanning a woman's health QR code at the temperature checkpoint at the entrance of a residential complex in Jilin on May 17

According to Jilin officials, a total of twenty COVID-19 patients are being treated at local hospitals. Two deaths have been reported. A volunteer is seen scanning a woman’s health QR code at the temperature checkpoint at the entrance of a residential complex in Jilin on May 17

The two cities have remained under lockdown as of today. They reported at least 43 infections, all linked to the same source, a local laundry worker. But it continues to remain unknown how she first contracted the bug.

According to Jilin officials, a total of twenty COVID-19 patients are being treated at local hospitals. Two deaths have been reported.

The coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 5.7million people worldwide and claimed at least 356,000 lives. 

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