Official: Suspension of intl flights necessary to combat COVID-19

China's civil aviation regulator has suspended 768 incoming international flights this year to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Monday.

The country introduced a policy of suspending international flights if more than five passengers test positive on board, in June 2020.

Since its introduction, 727 suspension orders have been announced, involving 1,679 incoming international flights, Kong Fanwei, deputy director of the administration's Flight Standards Department told a news conference on Monday.

He also noted that the policy effectively cut the risk of import cases.

The administration requires civil aviation service providers to carry out separate management of domestic and international flights to contain the risk of imported cases, Kong said.

For example, domestic and international passengers and crew members use different facilities at airports, such as boarding gates and security checks.

Emergency response drills have been carried out. More nucleic acid test stands have also been set up at airports.

To contain the spread of imported cases, China's customs administration carries out strict quarantine inspections, such as requiring incoming personnel to report their temperatures and health status, and disinfecting imported incoming ships and airplanes, said Li Zhengliang, deputy director of the General Administration of Customs' Department of Health Quarantine.

The department is paying close attention to other global issues, such as recent outbreaks of severe hepatitis in children and yellow fever in some countries.

It turns to experts to evaluate risk and issue alerts when necessary, Li said, adding that different government departments cooperate in prevention and control to prevent the risk of imported health risks and the overlap of different outbreaks.