China to allow some positive COVID-19 cases to quarantine at home - Sources

HONG KONG/BEIJING: China will allow positive cases of COVID-19 to quarantine at home under certain conditions, among supplementary measures to be announced in coming days, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Not all positive cases will be allowed to quarantine at home unconditionally, one of the sources told Reuters on Thursday, adding that pregnant women, the elderly and people with underlying illnesses will qualify to isolate at home.

Close contacts of the cases will also be allowed to isolate at home if the home environment meets certain conditions, the sources said.

Authorities will also step up antigen tests for the new coronavirus and reduce the frequency of mass testing and regular nucleic acid tests, the two sources said.

The National Health Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters fax seeking comment.