A customs officer checks passengers' health information at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. [Photo by Yin Liqin/China News Services]

Shanghai is planning to enhance its COVID-19 prevention protocols by extending its current prevention and control measures to travelers from countries other than the current four on its list: South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan which are among the most affected countries outside China.

Presently, travelers from these four nations must undergo epidemiological investigation. They will be escorted to their homes or quarantine hotels by chartered buses to minimize their contact with others.

"There have been concerns from the public about Shanghai's prevention and control measures of imported cases of novel coronavirus," Xu said at the daily municipal news conference on the city's control and prevention of the pandemic.

"We are currently monitoring the development (of the pandemic) overseas…we will announce the plan as soon as it is determined."

According to Zheng Jin, the spokeswoman of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, the institution is working closely with the port and transportation administrations in the city to strengthen the management of health screenings at Shanghai's two airports.

As of noon on Mar 12, Shanghai has had a total of 344 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection. Twenty patients are still in hospital, 12 of whom are in stable condition and 8 are in critical condition. One patient was discharged on March 12 after making a full recovery.