BEIJING — Big data analysis has been implemented in border control to prevent the influx of COVID-19 patients from overseas, said Liu Haitao, an official with the National Immigration Administration (NIA), on March 1.

As the risk of the epidemic outbreak abroad is rising, the technique has been employed to screen inbound passengers from epidemic-stricken countries and regions before international flights arrive, Liu said at a press conference in Beijing.

Results of the big data investigation would be shared with quarantine officers at customs to earn more time for them to do the quarantine work efficiently, said Liu, who noted that preventing the risk of COVID-19 epidemic influx from outside China has become a major task for his administration at present.

To avoid the spread of the epidemic via entry and exit trips, Liu said the administration had collected and made public entry restrictions of related countries, and advised residents from the Chinese mainland to postpone or cancel their outbound trips.

Liu added that the administration would further strengthen international cooperations with hard-hit countries and regions to jointly fight the epidemic through strict border control and information sharing.