Beijing bans China workers from returning home after COVID-19 detected among coworkers An Iraqi Airways Boeing 737 sits on the tarmac at Baghdad International Airport September 18, 2004 Baghdad, Iraq [Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images] May 8, 2021 at 1:21 pm Employees of two Chinese state-owned companies in Iraq have been prohibited from returning to China after 14 coworkers flew home with the coronavirus, AP reported Beijing's embassy in Baghdad stating on Friday. China has several times prevented airlines from flying specific routes after infections were found among passengers. According to AP, this is the first time a decision was taken to target Chinese citizens working for state-owned companies abroad.