Shanghai has blocked entry to 810 vehicles from key areas afflicted by the novel coronavirus, authorities told a new conference yesterday.

Shanghai has enhanced efforts to dissuade people without work and residence in the city from entering its borders, said Yang Xiaoxi, deputy director of the city transportation commission. Shanghai has set up nine checkpoints on expressways to inspect inbound vehicles and passengers. The city has also closed 51 road entrances into Shanghai, leaving only 13 open. These are guarded by police.

About 5,500 police, traffic and health officers, as well as volunteers, have been deployed at road checkpoints to direct vehicles, register information, check passengers’ temperatures and organize rechecks on people with signs of fever.

Since January 22, 1,148 people entering Shanghai by road have been put under quarantine and 408 were found with abnormal temperatures, said Yang.

Yang also said that since the Spring Festival holiday travel rush began on January 10, more than 9.45 million vehicles have entered or left Shanghai via expressways.