China’s official media told people to stay on guard against the coronavirus on Saturday, and restrictions on foreigners entering went into effect, as the country reported no new locally transmitted infections and a small drop in imported cases.
“At this time, we must be extremely vigilant and cautious, and we must prevent the post-epidemic relaxation from coming too soon, leading to the loss of all our achievements,” the Communist Party’s official People’s Daily newspaper said in a front-page editorial.
The authorities also reversed planned reopenings of movie theaters, the state-owned China Securities Journal reported, citing sources.
Reuters could not verify the existence of the National Film Administration’s order to extend cinema closures, but a man answering the phone at a Wanda Cinemas theater in Shanghai confirmed it had been ordered to close again.
Theaters in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing, remained closed, searches on an online ticketing platform showed.
Most signs of official concern remain focused on the risk posed by so-called imported virus cases after widespread lockdowns within China helped to sharply reduce domestic transmissions. Effective Saturday, China has suspended the entry of foreign nationals with valid Chinese visas and residence permits.
Beijing has also ordered airlines to sharply cut international flights from Sunday.
