No Chinese citizens visiting DPRK quarantined: embassy

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has in recent days taken tough measures to keep the Ebola virus out of the country, but so far no Chinese citizens traveling to the country have been quarantined, the Chinese Embassy in the DPRK said Friday.

A state emergency anti-epidemic committee has been put in place recently to help strengthen inspection and quarantine at border crossings.

On Wednesday, a note has been issued by the emergency committee to all diplomatic missions and international organizations present in the country saying that all foreigners entering the DPRK will be quarantined for 21 days and will receive medical observation regardless of where they come from and which places they have been to.

According to the note, foreigners from Ebola-hit regions will be quarantined at Chongchongang Hotel in Anju City of South Pyongan and Ap Rok Gang Hotel in the city of Sinuiju of North Pyongan.

Foreigners from non-affected areas will be quarantined at hotels designated by their inviting party.

Diplomatic envoys and personnel with international institutions are to be quarantined at their own residences.

The Chinese embassy has issued a consular notice to all Chinese nationals and organizations in the DPRK informing them of the circumstances.

No Chinese citizens have been quarantined and international flights and trains going between China and the DPRK are not affected, said the embassy.

However, at airports and other border ports, travelers are asked to have their body temperatures taken and fill in a registration form upon their arrival in the country.

Also, doctors are sent to hotels that accommodate foreign visitors on a daily basis to track their temperatures.