Italy said Wednesday it was considering mandatory coronavirus tests for visitors from China following an explosion in cases there, with the northern Lombardy region already having introduced screening.

Lombardy, the first region to impose a lockdown when coronavirus hit Europe in early 2020, is testing arrivals from China at Milan’s Malpensa airport at least until January 30, the foreign ministry said.

Swabs collected at Malpensa in recent days are being analysed by the national health ministry, to help identify any new variants.

Health Minister Orazio Schillaci “is evaluating the possibility of making tests mandatory for all passengers coming from China”, his office said in a statement.

“Surveillance and prevention, through sequencing, is essential to promptly identify any new variants that may cause concern and which are not at the moment in circulation in Italy,” it said.

Coronavirus infections have surged in China as it unwinds hardline controls that had torpedoed the economy and sparked nationwide protests.