Coronavirus: Guangzhou puts power of city and science resources behind massive testing programme
- 28 million coronavirus tests administered in Guangzhou between May 26 and June 7
- Presence of the Delta virus strain has made transmission in latest outbreak of 119 cases more rapid, says deputy head of Guangzhou Science Technology Bureau
The city, which is home to 18 million people, reported four new Covid-19 cases on Thursday – more than two weeks after an infected patient was found in its urban Liwan district. So far, 119 cases have been identified, including seven asymptomatic carriers.
The city has turned to major companies such as KingMed Diagnostics and Da An Gene Co for massive and repeated testing, hoping to uncover all Covid-19 patients as fast as possible to prevent the virus from spreading.
A testing programme in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam last month covered all 13 million residents, making it the largest city-run testing scheme outside China. In Guangzhou between May 26 and June 7, some 28 million tests were administered – far outstripping the Ho Chi Minh City programme.
Sun said KingMed Diagnostics alone could run 350,000 tests a day and each test was capable of including as many as 10 individual samples. Guangzhou has up to 23 qualified Covid-19 testing companies and institutes making up the city’s front line of defence against the coronavirus.
