China reports 11 new virus cases, no deaths

BANGKOK  — China on Sunday confirmed 11 more cases of the coronavirus and no new deaths for the 11th day in a row.

A man wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus takes a photo of blossoms at a public park in Beijing, Saturday, April 25, 2020. China on Saturday reported no new deaths from the coronavirus for the 10th straight day. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

It brings its official count to 82,827 infected people.

Five of the new cases were in Heilongjiang province, a northeastern border area with Russia that has seen a surge in infections.

Another was in Guangdong province, a manufacturing and tech region bordering Hong Kong in the south.

The other five were imported from overseas. China has identified 1,634 imported cases in all.

China said it also has 1,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus but do not have any symptoms. They are under medical observation but not included in the confirmed case count.

Meantime, Hong Kong is trying to help more than 5,000 residents return home from India and Pakistan after those countries banned all international flights to combat COVID-19.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department has reached about 3,200 residents in India and 2,000 in Pakistan, scattered around both countries, according to a government news release.

The situation in India is complicated by strict restrictions on domestic trips, with approval required for any travel. On the Hong Kong end, the city has limited capacity to test, quarantine and treat people.

The government plans to fly back residents in phases, starting with chartered flights from New Delhi and Islamabad for those in and around those two cities, as well as the sick, pregnant woman, children and the elderly. Passengers will have to pay for their flights.

GSG