A total of eight cities and banners in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region recently issued a notice to further strengthen controls on personnel coming and returning from COVID-19 high-risk areas, local officials said.

The notice issuers include Ordos, Tongliao, Hulunbuir, Wuhai, Chifeng, Bayannuur and Ulaanqab cities and Xiliin Gol League.

Officials said the move was in response to a new cluster cases in Xinfadi in Beijing, a wholesale farm produce market where a large number of people gather and visit.

The specific measures taken by cities and banners vary but they all require people who come from or went to Beijing’s Xicheng, Fengtai and Fangshan districts to receive nucleic acid tests, serum antibody detection, and quarantine and medical observations at home.

The key points of Ordos’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures are as follows:

Ordos residents who have been to Beijing’s Xicheng, Fengtai and Fangshan districts -- especially those have went to or been in contact with personnel from Beijing Xinfangdi market and Jingshen sea food market starting from May 30 -- are required to truthfully inform local authorities about their health status, and provide a detailed itinerary, contact history, home address and contact information to their residential communities and work units.

They are also required to receive nucleic acid tests. Before the test results are fed back, they must undergo quarantine and observation at home.

Persons entering Ordos from Beijing’s Xicheng, Fengtai and Fangshan districts -- and other areas with medium and high risk areas, starting on June 13 -- must undergo 14 days of centralized quarantine and medical observation, and receive two nucleic acid tests and one serum antibody test.

Meanwhile, residents of Ordos city should not go to Beijing in the near future unless it is necessary.