19 Jan

China has confirmed at least four cases of infection with new strains of the coronavirus.

State-run media report that a student who returned to Shanghai from Britain in mid-December was the first confirmed case of infection with a new variant.

The report says the other cases were people in Guangdong and Shandong provinces who had returned from Britain and South Africa.

The central government and local authorities are taking stronger measures to prevent the variants from entering the country.

In Beijing, the quarantine period for people arriving from other countries has been extended to 21 days from 14 days. People are required to report their health conditions for another seven days.

China's health authorities say vaccines developed by domestic pharmaceutical companies are effective against the variants and they are preparing mass inoculation programs.

nhk