China's Heihe Offers Financial Reward for Help in Tracing Source of COVID Outbreak in City

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The authorities in the Chinese city of Heihe located on the border with Russia announced on Tuesday a reward worth 100,000 yuan ($15,600) for assistance in tracing the source of the latest coronavirus outbreak.

"Individuals who provide valuable information to help successfully track the source of the outbreak will receive a reward of 100,000 yuan," the city government said in a statement.

The authorities have called on residents to promptly report to the police if they have any information about cases of illegal border crossing, smuggling, as well as report any possible clues and evidence that may be related to the spread of the disease.

Additionally, individuals who have purchased imported goods online since October 1, in particular frozen food, must immediately disinfect the packaging and the goods themselves, and then send them to the local center for disease control and prevention so that they can be tested for COVID-19.

Since February, the Chinese city, as well as the whole Heilongjiang province, has reported only isolated cases of the coronavirus. A new outbreak of locally transmitted cases was confirmed in Heihe in late October. The city has since registered over 200 new infections.

Heihe introduced a strict lockdown on 28 October after its Aihui district reported one locally transmitted case of the coronavirus, as well as three asymptomatic cases. Local authorities have established strict control over the movement of the population.

On Sunday, several Heihe districts called on residents to temporarily suspend the purchase of goods from countries and regions where COVID-19 infections are on the rise. The decision was made after the virus was detected on the packages of goods purchased by residents of Erenhot city in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.