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China’s National Health Commission says rectal swabs can test positive for the coronavirus earlier than nasal swabs. Photo: AFP

Coronavirus: Beijing denies making US diplomats take anal swab tests

  • Foreign ministry issues statement in response to US media reports claiming State Department staff were required to take such tests
  • Anal swabs can be more effective in testing for Covid-19 but are considered undignified by most people
Beijing has denied claims that American diplomats working in China were made to undergo anal swab coronavirus tests.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian issued a statement on Thursday after a spokesperson said that some US State Department staff had been subjected to the tests and Washington had described the practice as undignified, according to reports by Vice News and The Washington Post.

Beijing told Washington the test was given “in error” and that diplomatic staff were exempt, and US diplomats had been instructed to decline the test if it was asked of them, the reports said.

A diplomat from a European country working in Beijing who wished to remain anonymous said embassy and consulate workers were asked by health workers during quarantine to take the rectal test but had the option to refuse.

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China denies reports US diplomats were ordered to take anal swab tests for Covid-19

China denies reports US diplomats were ordered to take anal swab tests for Covid-19

The anal swab tests were introduced in January in Beijing and Qingdao in eastern China targeting high-risk groups, including overseas arrivals, Chinese tabloid Global Times reported.

Health authorities began using rectal swabs more widely after several provinces and cities saw outbreaks, as the test is more accurate than nasal or throat swabs.

But the method was not recommended for mass deployment due to people’s low acceptance of it, the National Health Commission said.

“Rectal swabs can test positive for the coronavirus earlier than nasal swabs,” it said on its official WeChat account.

“And there are a small number of patients whose rectal swabs continue to test positive after their nasal swab has turned negative towards the end of their treatment. Therefore, adding rectal tests can improve the detection rate, reduce false-negative results and avoid misdiagnosis,” it said.

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However, as it was not convenient to obtain anal swab samples and many people did not like it, the testing should not be required for everyone or rolled out nationally, it said.

The health commission said the test was carried out by inserting a cotton swab between 3-5cm (one to two inches) into the rectum and twisting slightly before being retracted.

There have been several cases where nasal swabs did not contain a large enough viral load for testing to detect the coronavirus. A patient in the northern city of Shijiazhuang, where an outbreak started late last year, tested negative for Covid-19 nine times in 17 days before a positive test result on the 10th test, according to the local health authority.

Additional reporting by Zhuang Pinghui

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