CORONAVIRUS | The Chinese capital Beijing is imposing a 14-day self-quarantine on all those returning to the city and will punish those who refuse to quarantine themselves or follow official rules on containing a new coronavirus, city authorities said yesterday.

Chinese authorities have been struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 120 people on the mainland.

The state-backed Beijing Daily newspaper cited a notice from Beijing’s virus prevention working group reading: “From now on, all those who have returned to Beijing should stay at home or submit to group observation for 14 days after arriving. Those who refuse to accept home or centralised observation and other prevention and control measures will be held accountable under the law.”

Anyone returning to Beijing will be required to submit travel plans to their community in advance, the notice said.

There was no specific mention of foreign visitors arriving from outside China, and how or whether the restrictions would apply to them.

- Reuters