COVID-19: Wuhan tests 6.5 million residents in 9 days amid fear of second wave

In a drastic move to stop the second wave of coronavirus, the Chinese city of Wuhan conducted more than 6.5 million COVID-19 tests in just nine days, Chinese state media reported. Authorities in Wuhan declared a '10 day battle’ against the pandemic earlier this month after six new cases emerged in a residential complex. Following which Wuhan officials launched a citywide nucleic acid testing drive through which they aim to test all of 11 million residents in ten days.

As a part of the drive, swab tests samples from over nine million people were collected between May 15 and 23, marking successful testing on more than 80 per cent of the city’s total population, Chinese state media reported. As of now, a total of 198 asymptomatic cases have been found following the tests. According to the Chinese state broadcaster, more than 11,46,156 nucleic acid tests have been conducted on May 23 in the epicentre Wuhan alone. 

COVID-19 in China

This comes as China has reported  84,102 positive coronavirus cases, out of whom 79,353  have died as of now, the latest data from John Hopkins University stated. On May 25, the country reported 36 new cases, including 29 asymptomatic infections, mostly in the contagion's first epicentre, health officials said. The country's National Health Commission (NHC) said that seven new imported cases were reported, including five in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and one each in Shanghai and Fujian. 

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No deaths due to the COVID-19 were reported on May 25, it said, adding that 403 asymptomatic cases, including 28 from overseas, are currently under medical observation across the country. Wuhan started a campaign on May 14 to expand nucleic acid testing in order to better know the number of asymptomatic cases or people who show no clear symptoms despite carrying the virus, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Read: China Reports 36 New Coronavirus Cases

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Image credits: PTI