(Yicai Global) April 9 -- China has tightened its measures to report asymptomatic Covid-19 cases faster and thereby contain possible further transmission quicker.

Local health authorities need to report each new symptomless case online within two hours, and detect these persons' close contacts within 24 hours since the registration, the State Council announced yesterday.

Those who test positive for the virus but exhibit no symptoms must be kept under medical observation for 14 days. After that, two nucleic acid tests will be done and if both of them come back negative, the person is free to go home.

This month China started reporting new infections among people who show no symptoms that would include a dry cough and high fever. These people can still transmit the virus.

The Cabinet also called for strengthened monitoring of people who have been subjected to higher transmission risks by traveling or via social contacts. Moreover, regional administrations should report new cases promptly every day.

China had 56 new asymptomatic cases as of yesterday, and 28 of them were coming from abroad. Some 15 people started having some symptoms and thus were moved into thecategory ofconfirmed cases. Some 1,104 symptomless cases were still under medical observation while 32 were discharged after completing tests that proved recovery.

Editor: Emmi Laine