Hong Kong detects COVID traces in sewage, tightens surveillance to identify patients

Amidst spiralling coronavirus cases in China, neighbouring Hong Kong has opted a unique method to detect infected patients. According to local media reports, city authorities have distributed rapid antigen tests (RAT) to sanitation workers after traces of coronavirus infection were found in sew. On Sunday, government officially anunced that it gave 200,000 sets of COVID tests to sanitation workers, residents and property manment staff working in areas with positive sew testing results in order to identify coronavirus patients.

Hong Kong has reported a total of 1,204,510 cases since start of pandemic. On Sunday, city-state registered 119 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 181 ditional cases through self-reported RATs, official data showed, as per Xinhua News ncy. Meanwhile, in efforts to combat COVID-19, HKSAR government’s Environmental Protection Department and Drain Services Department, in collaboration with a cross-disciplinary team of University of Hong Kong, have strengned sampling of sew in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing.

China's Zero COVID policy 

China, last month, implemented a torious zero-COVID policy in order to eliminate all infections by enforcing strict lockdowns and transferring all patients to secure institutions. w, in a recent report, AP has said that volunteers and government workers in Shanghai have erected metal barriers in multiple districts to block off small streets and entrances to apartment complexes. Meanwhile,  World Bank and some investment banks recently issued warnings about dam caused by intolerant COVID policy to country's ecomy's growth. 

Beijing has ordered mass testing for its 21 million people after Monday’s nucleic acid tests of 3.5 million residents revealed 32 positive cases, while eastern metropolis of Shanghai has reported 52 more deaths, taking toll during current outbreak to 190, officials said.  Chinese capital, which is battling spre of Omicron variant in city, similar to Shanghai, has ordered mass testing from Tuesday in 11 of its districts, virtually covering all of its 21 million population. country has reported some 214,243 cases of dely viral infection since pandemic started. 

(Im: AP)