China Southern flight CZ392 from Dhaka to Guangzhou was suspended for 4 weeks, after 17 passengers onboard were tested for coronavirus.

A flight of China Southern Airlines. (Photo: Sipa)

According to a new policy, the civil administration will have a reward and circuit breaker mechanism to contain the number of imported cases of the novel coronavirus, while allowing more domestic and overseas airlines to increase the number of international passenger flights in and out of China.

If the number of passengers who have a positive nucleic acid test stands at zero for three consecutive weeks on the same route, airlines will be allowed to add one additional flight per week on the route as a bonus, it said.

But the airline will suspend the operation of the route for one week if five or more passengers test positive for the coronavirus. If the number exceeds 10, the airline will suspend flights on the route for four weeks, it said, adding that it could resume operation after the "circuit breaker" period.

The administration also noted that it will allow certain eligible countries to increase the number of international passenger flights in and out of the country if the epidemic risks are controllable.