OTTAWA  – Canada has renewed mandatory COVID-19 testing and screening for travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macao for another two months.

The government mandated pre-boarding tests for people coming from those places last month after China removed longstanding public-health restrictions, causing a countrywide outbreak of the virus.

A statement from the Public Health Agency of Canada says the testing requirements are expected to remain in place until April 5.

The government says it’s concerned about reports of a dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in China, and the lack of data available from China about potential variants that could be spreading through the country.

The agency says it’s also concerned about what China’s reopening could do to Canada’s health-care system.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said earlier this week that the measures were necessary, and any changes would be based on advice from the government’s public health experts.