Border With China Closed in Russia's Amur Region

The entry of Chinese national in Russia's Amur Region and Russians' exit from the region to China is forbidden starting on Thursday at all the border checkpoints. It is done to prevent the spread of SARS, or pneumonia-like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the press service of the regional administration reports.

The situation with regard to SARS in China is getting worse. At the border checkpoint in Blagoveshchensk medical examination of people crossing the border has revealed a considerable number of persons with symptoms of acute respiratory ailments. Besides, the first suspected SARS case has been registered in the Region.

During the entry into the Amur Region of Russian citizens arriving from China the local sanitary service should keep record of the arriving persons, and subject them to obligatory medical examination and observation for 10 days. Persons accompanying cargo during crossing the border at checkpoints in the Amur Region are also subjected to medical examination.

In the region actions to prevent the spread of the disease are taken also at the local airport, at railway stations and in places where the Chinese residing in the region are concentrated.