Northeast China city suspends in-person school classes over COVID-19

HARBIN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, have ordered to suspend in-person classes at local kindergartens and primary and middle schools for one week starting Monday for COVID-19 control.

All third-graders and above will switch to online classes, and there is no uniform requirement for kindergartners and first and second-graders, said the Harbin municipal education department Sunday.

Heilongjiang Province Saturday reported 19 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the provincial health commission said Sunday.

A total of 18 cases were registered in Aihui District in the city of Heihe and one in the Xiangfang District of Harbin.

By Saturday, Heilongjiang had 55 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and two imported cases.