New Delhi (NVI): The Chinese city of Qingdao will conduct COVID-19 tests for the entire population of more than 9 million people over five days, according to the reports.
The mass testing comes after new cases appeared linked to a hospital treating people who had been confirmed with the virus after returning from overseas.
The city reported six new coronavirus cases and six asymptomatic cases as of late October 11 and most of the cases were linked to the Qingdao Chest Hospital, the Qingdao’s Municipal’s Health Commission said in a statement.
Moreover, a citywide testing program had been launched, with five districts to be tested within three days – with the whole city to be tested within five days, the commission said. However, officials did not give a precise figure on how many people would be tested.
China has extensive, quick test capabilities, some 1,14,862 people – including medical staff and newly hospitalised patients in the city’s hospitals – have already tested negative for the coronavirus.
These new cases come a week after China’s Golden Week holiday, which saw millions travel across the country. In addition to this, a Global Times report quoting the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said the city received 4.47 million passenger trips over this period.
Meanwhile, daily coronavirus infections have fallen drastically in China, and for the most part the country appears to have recovered from the worst of the virus. But the country remains on high alert in order to prevent painful lockdowns that led to an outright contraction of the world’s number two economy.
Earlier this year, China tested the entire city of Wuhan – a population of 11 million and the epicentre of the global outbreak.
So far, in mainland China 85,578 coronavirus cases has been registered, while the death toll remain unchanged at 4,634.
-RJV
