New H1N1 Screening and Quarantine Procedures in China

Warden Message
Embassy Beijing
May 6, 2009

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens to the latest information regarding human cases of 2009-H1N1 Influenza, sometimes referred to as swine flu. 

China has instituted the following procedures for border authorities to screen for the possibility of influenza among passengers on arriving international flights:

1) Flights arriving from affected countries, including the United States, will be segregated at specific gates and passengers will move through specific channels for Health and Quarantine (H&Q) clearance. 

2) Prior to disembarking from the aircraft, passengers will be required to complete and submit a H&Q health declaration card, which will be provided by the air carrier.  H&Q officials will collect the cards on board the aircraft or planeside. 

3) All customers will be required to process through two separate thermal-scanning checkpoints.  Temperature readings are taken by hand wands or from fixed-position infrared monitors that do not make any contact with the traveler.

4) If there are one or more suspected cases of H1N1 on an arriving flight, the air carrier will be required to report the case to Chinese H&Q prior to the arrival of the flight.  Passengers and crew on the flight will be quarantined in a designated area (e.g., in Beijing, Terminal 3: Concourse D) until H&Q determines what steps to take, which may include simply completing a “Quarantine Card,” undergoing a routine medical exam at the airport, or, in some circumstances, transportation to local hospitals and/or hotels designated for quarantine. 

5) H&Q will implement different procedures for individual passengers with H1N1 influenza symptoms, which may include: 1) observation in a hospital designated to handle H1N1 cases, or quarantine (e.g., in Beijing: Guomen Hotel).  As of May 4, 2009, the official quarantine period was announced to be up to seven days.  As of May 5, 2009, the principal hospitals designated as H1N1 treatment centers are:

- Beijing:  Ditan Hospital, You'An Hospital, and Peking Union Hospital.
- Shanghai:  Shanghai Public Health Center, Jinshan District and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Minghan District
- Guangzhou: Guangzhou No. 2 Hospital
- Chengdu:  Huaxi Hospital, People's No. 6 Hospital, and Chengdu No. 4 Hospital.
- Shenyang:  Shenyang Children's Hospital, Shenyang No.4 Hospital, and Shengjing Hospital.

6) If you are ordered into quarantine or admitted to a hospital for observation, please immediately contact the U.S. Embassy general line at (86) 10-8531-3000, or Beijing’s Consular Duty Officer at (86) 139-1022-0575 to report your situation.

The Embassy reminds U.S. citizens that most cases of influenza are not 2009-H1N1 Influenza.  Any questions or concerns about influenza or other illnesses should be directed to a medical professional.  Although the Embassy cannot provide medical advice or provide medical services to the public, listings of hospitals and doctors for the five consular districts can be found at the following websites:
Beijing:   http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/acs_health.html
Shanghai:  http://shanghai.usembassy-china.org.cn/medical_facilities.html
Guangzhou:  http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/medical_providers_in_south_china.htm
Chengdu:  http://chengdu.usembassy-china.org.cn/health/_local_doctors.html
Shenyang:  http://shenyang.usembassy-china.org.cn/medical2.html

For further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including steps you can take to stay healthy, please consult the Department of State information at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_pandemic.html, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, the U.S. Government pandemic influenza website at http://www.pandemicflu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html.  For additional travel safety information, please consult the State Department's website at http://www.travel.state.gov.

U.S. citizens may also call the Office of Overseas Citizens Services in the United States for the latest travel information.  The Office of Overseas Citizens Services can be reached from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Monday through Friday, by calling 1-888-407-4747 from within the U.S. and Canada, or by calling (202) 501-4444 from other countries.
 
Americans living or traveling in China are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/ so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within China.  Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency

The U.S. Embassy can be reached 24 hours per day at 86-10-8531-3000.  The addresses and telephone contact information for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China are at the bottom of this announcement. 

U.S. Embassy Beijing:  Tian Ze Road intersection of An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang District.  Telephone number during regular business hours and for after-hours emergencies: 86-10-8531-4000, Email: amcitbeijing@state.gov.  Embassy’s website:  beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn. 

U.S. Consulate General Chengdu:  Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin Nanlu, Chengdu 610041, tel. 86-28-8558-3992, Email: consularchengdu@state.gov.  For after hours emergencies, please call 86-28-1370-800-1422.

U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou:  The Consular Section is located at 5th Floor, Tianyu Garden (II phase), 136-146 Lin He Zhong Lu, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510133, tel. (86-20) 8518-7605, Email: GuangzhouACS@state.gov.  Guangzhou adoptions Email: GuangzhouA@state.gov.  For after hours emergencies, please call 86-20-8121-8000.

U.S. Consulate General Shanghai:  The Consular Section is located in the Westgate Mall, 8th Floor, 1038 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai 200041; tel. (86-21) 3217-4650, Email: Shanghaiacs@state.gov.  For after hours emergencies, please call 86-21-6433-3936.

U.S. Consulate General Shenyang:  No. 52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003; tel. (86-24) 2322-1198, Email: ShenyangACS@state.gov.  For after hours emergencies, please call 86-24-137-0988-9307.