All the travelers arriving at the two Shanghai airports from countries and regions severely affected by the novel coronavirus will be subjected to epidemiological investigation to vigorously curb the spread of the virus from overseas, the Shanghai government said on Saturday.

"Medical workers will conduct the epidemiological investigations, including their potential contact history with confirmed cases of the COVID-19, for travelers from South Korea, Italy, Iran, and Japan once they enter the terminal building before taking their temperatures and checking their health declaration forms," Jiang Yuan, vice-head of the Shanghai Customs, said during a press conference held by the municipal government.

Zheng Jin, spokeswoman of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said that 20 of the total 42 suspected cases of the COVID-19 in the city currently are from overseas.

The customs also said that people concealing their travel or living history when filling out the health declaration forms or not collaborating with health and quarantine measures will be brought to justice. If their behaviors cause spread of the contagion, they will face criminal responsibility.

As a traffic hub for the neighboring regions, Shanghai also started on Saturday to transport travelers who arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport or Shanghai Pudong International Airport but were heading to neighboring provinces as their destinations by chartered buses to minimize their contact with others during the journey. People boarding such buses must go through all the immigration health checks first.

Shanghai previously clarified that all the people, Chinese and foreign, who traveled or lived in South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan, within 14 days before their arrival in Shanghai are subject to home isolation or quarantine observation – if they do not have a residence in the city – for 14 days.