Mainland China reported its first locally transmitted coronavirus case in three days and 54 new imported cases, as Beijing ordered airlines to sharply cut international flights, for fear travelers could reignite the coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday’s 55 new cases were down from 67 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said in a statement on Friday, taking the tally of infections to 81,340, as five new deaths raised the toll to 3,292.
Imported infections, mostly among Chinese nationals returning home, now pose the biggest concern for authorities. The commercial capital of Shanghai reported the most new imported cases with 17, followed by 12 in the southern province of Guangdong and four each in the capital Beijing and the nearby city