Chinese county with over half a million people goes into NEW LOCKDOWN to prevent a fresh coronavirus crisis after detecting three patients with no symptoms

• Clampdown was put on Jia county in central China amid fears of an outbreak
• The three patients are all local doctors and none of them showed symptoms 
• Transport has been suspended and 'wartime mechanism' has been triggered 
• All residents must wear face masks and only one per family can go out per day 

By BILLIE THOMSON FOR MAILONLINE- 2 April 2020 

More than half a million people in central China have been put under a new coronavirus lockdown after three doctors tested positive for the virus despite showing no symptoms.

The county of Jia in Henan Province, with about 570,000 residents, has halted transport in and out of the area as well as local buses and taxis since Monday, according to a government notice.

Regional officials have ordered all villages, towns and residential complexes to activate their 'wartime mechanism' amid fears for a fresh outbreak, another notice said. 

Social media footage purports to show a road blockade being place in the Jia County after officials ordered a new lockdown amid fears for a new coronavirus crisis

As of yesterday, the coronavirus has killed 22 people and infected 1,273 in Henan, the third most populous province in mainland China. Pictured shows Pingdingshan, a city in Henan

Strict isolation measures have been put on the county of Jia, which has about 570,000 people

The news comes after Beijing declared over the weekend that it had largely curbed the outbreak. 

Life in all provinces, including former epicentre Hubei, is slowly going back to normal. 

But concerns about a second wave remain due to an influx of people arriving from abroad as well as the so-called 'silent carriers', who can spread the virus without realising.

'Silent carriers' are patients who don't suffer any known symptoms of the COVID-19 disease, including fevers, a sore throat or coughs, but they will test positive in nucleic acid tests, which detect the coronavirus.  

As of yesterday, the coronavirus has killed 22 people and infected 1,273 in Henan, which borders Hubei. 

With more than 109 million residents, Henan is the third most populous province in mainland China.

Another clip shows the largely empty streets of Jia county after officials enforced strict measures to prevent an outbreak from happening. All residents must wear face masks 

ing to the Jia County Coronavirus Control and Prevention Office, all neighbourhoods must enforce strict isolation measures and prohibit their residents from making unnecessary journeys.

All residential complexes must keep only one gate for people to enter and exit, and each household can only send one member out per day to do shopping.

All residents must wear a face mask while outside.

They must also use a health code or health coupon to prove they are virus-free before being allowed in shops, communities or other public places.

All orders were delivered in formal documents issued by the Jia County Coronavirus Control and Prevention Office, which has been released by Jia County Radio and Television Station.

One video circulating on social media purports to show a road leading to the county being blocked by a check point, manned by mask-donning workers. 

Another clip released by an independent media outlet appears to show largely empty streets and a traffic blockade at the entrance of the area.  

Provinces around China have launched strict health-screening measures to prevent a second wave of infections. In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, workers returning from Henan province alight from a specially arranged train at the Shenzhen North Railway Station

Health officials of Henan reported the three asymptomatic cases on Sunday. 

According to a statement, the sufferers, known by their surnames Zhang, Liu and Zhou, all work for the Jia County People's Hospital.

They were identified during a physical examination given to all health workers by the hospital on March 25.

Zhang and Zhou both tested positive in a nucleic acid test.

Liu's test result came back as 'single positive', which means he tested positive but would still need more tests to confirm its validity.

It is said that Liu had been to Wuhan, the former centre of the pandemic, in the past but had passed a 14-day self-quarantine.

None of them showed any symptoms. All were put under medical observation.

China today reported 55 new asymptomatic cases, including 17 detected among new arrivals from abroad. Health workers wearing protective masks and suits are pictured disinfecting the ground of Laojunshan Scenic Spot in Luoyang, Henan Province, on March 3

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday urged officials to ramp up testing suspected asymptomatic cases and intensify the monitoring, tracking, quarantine and treatment efforts

One 59-year-old cleaner, Wang, who lives in another city in Henan was also diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday after visiting Zhang in Jia county a week earlier.

Officials have tracked down 15 close contacts of Wang and 53 close contacts of the three doctors. All of them are under medical observation.

China today reported 55 new asymptomatic cases, including 17 detected among new arrivals from abroad.

Overall, the country has registered 3,199 deaths caused by COVID-19 and 81,589 infections, including 1,075 asymptomatic cases.

UK-based Chinese students brings coronavirus 'back to' Wuhan 

The 16-year-old student left the UK on March 21 and arrived in Wuhan on March 23 after stopping over in Dubai and Beijing. Pictured, airport staff wearing protective suits check information of inbound passengers at Shanghai Pudong International Airport

A Chinese teenager studying in the UK has become the first person to bring the novel coronavirus back to Wuhan, the former centre of the pandemic.

The city last week declared that it had largely brought the crisis under control after recording only one new infection in 10 days.

Local health officials today reported the 16-year-old student as its first 'imported case' in the city. They claimed he showed no symptoms.

The boy, known by his surname Zhou, had travelled to Wuhan from Newcastle via Dubai and Beijing, authorities revealed. 

The news comes as Beijing resorts to new draconian measures to screen new arrivals from abroad as well as the so-called 'silent carriers' amid fears that they could trigger a second wave.