The United States weighs new COVID rules for travelers from China

(Reuters) – U.S. officials said on Tuesday that the U.S. government may impose new COVID-19 measures on travelers to the United States from China due to concerns about a “lack of transparent data” coming out of Beijing.

The move comes after Japan, India and Malaysia announced tightening rules for travelers from China in the past 24 hours, noting an increase in infections there.

Japan has said it will require a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival of travelers from China. Malaysia has put in place additional tracking and monitoring measures.

“There are growing concerns in the international community about the continued increases in COVID-19 in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genetic sequence data, being reported from the People’s Republic of China,” the officials said, using the PRC initials. China.

Some hospitals and funeral homes in China have been overwhelmed as the virus spreads largely unchecked across the country of 1.4 billion people.

However, official statistics showed only one coronavirus death in the seven days through Monday, prompting skepticism among health experts and residents about the government’s data. The numbers are at odds with the experience of less populous countries after they reopened.

China said on Monday it would stop requiring incoming travelers to enter quarantine from January 8 in a major step toward easing restrictions at its borders, which have been largely closed since 2020.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Dan Whitcomb); Edited by Lincoln Feast.

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