China will step up closed-off management for drivers of cross-border freight vehicles in response to the rise of imported novel coronavirus cases, according to the country's top transport authority on Saturday.

Domestic drivers who return to the port on the same day, after passing temperature screening, will be exempt from quarantine, said Li Tianbi, safety director of the Ministry of Transportation, at a press briefing.

Drivers should avoid contact with other personnel and conduct regular nucleic acid tests during their stay in the port, he said, adding that the testing result should be negative before being allowed to leave the port.

As for overseas freight vehicles entering the border, the drivers are required to unload at the port and leave the country on the same day without having any direct contact with the working staff at the port, he said.

Foreign drivers who are unable to leave China on the same day will be subject to temperature check, and will be directly transferred from the port to a designated place for closed-off management, he said, adding that they will not be permitted to go out of the designated place before leaving China.

Li also noted that the ministry will set up temporary channels and special accommodation areas for the freight drivers and required transportation companies to ramp vehicle disinfection and epidemic prevention and control gears for the drivers.