Virus risk rises in Heilongjiang's Bayan county

Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, reported five new locally transmitted confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the provincial Health Commission.

Four cases were found in the city's Bayan county and the other one was detected in Nangang district, the commission said.

Coronavirus risk levels of two residential communities in Xinglong town in Bayan county were raised from low to medium on Wednesday, according to a statement from the city's epidemic prevention and control headquarters.

All residential communities and villages in Xinglong and within the jurisdiction of the Xinglong Forest Bureau will be strictly managed in lockdown mode, officials said. Each household can send one family member out every two days to purchase daily necessities.

Bus and rail services were suspended to keep people from gathering and spreading the coronavirus. But vehicles used for production or to supply necessities or help with epidemic prevention remain free to travel across the county.

All outpatient departments of the county's Second People's Hospital began turning away new patients on Tuesday, and all patients were tested, Health Times reported on Tuesday.

Harbin reported three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, all of them in Bayan.

As of Wednesday noon, there have been eight confirmed cases in the province.