China to allow export of some medical products amid COVID-19 crisis

In a statement on April 25, the Chinese commerce ministry announced that it will allow the export medical equipment for the coronavirus which will have the domestic regulatory approval as long as it’s approved in the countries to which it's being exported. The guidelines are applicable for the key virus-related equipment such as the protective N95 masks, medical protective suits (PPE), infrared thermometers, and ventilators, as per state media reports. Therefore, this lifts the trade restrictions imposed as of March that needed medical products approved for export to countries overseas. 

Earlier, in supply to European countries, China was accused of dispatching the faulty test kits, media reports confirmed. On April 24, the Canadian government told the Press conference that supply of 1 million N95 protective masks from China did not meet standards, and hence, the government refrained from distributing those to the healthcare workers and medics in the frontline. Therefore, there arrived a need for the firms other than China government, to be able to step up efforts in assistance for the countries worldwide with the coronavirus pandemic. 

Read: Trump 'not Happy' With China Over Failure To Communicate About Coronavirus Outbreak: Pence

Read: China Needs To Guard Against COVID-19 Resurgence, Warn Health Official Amid Rise In Cases

Nucleic acid testing

Meanwhile, in China, as many as 30 new asymptomatic cases and 11 new imported cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported as a senior health official warned of a domestic resurgence of COVID-19, according to reports. Therefore, with the surge in infections, technology giants like Alibaba and Tencent launched the booking services for the tests. This comes as China accelerates nucleic acid testing to promote epidemic prevention and control, also speeding up the production, the state-run news agency reported. As many as 38,000 people completed nucleic acid tests, all of which tested negative.  

Earlier, China reportedly tightened restrictions on the movement of people near the Russian border. According to reports, the Heilongjiang province in China emerged as the new hotspot, with new coronavirus clusters linked to a hospital in the provincial capital, where wearing face masks was immediately made compulsory. While the country imposed stringent health screening procedures at its airport, banned the overseas travellers as of March 28, there has been a consistent inflow of the positive cases in the territory. 

Read: China Reports More Imported Coronavirus Cases Despite Restrictions

Read: Asia Today: China Reports 11 New Virus Cases, No Deaths