Chinese city on Myanmar border to start monthly mass Covid-19 testing
- Ruili will test some people who are deemed a higher risk weekly or fortnightly in bid to catch infections early, Yunnan province says
- The city of 280,000 residents says it has conducted 3.7 million coronavirus tests since October 1, as regions double down on zero-Covid policy
Authorities in the southwest province of Yunnan, which neighbours Myanmar, said mass testing was “the most effective way to detect outbreaks” and the city was capable of testing its entire population in one day, state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.
Ruili, which has 280,000 residents, has already conducted nearly 3.7 million Covid-19 tests since October 1, according to the Yunnan authorities.
To detect infections as early as possible, staff at quarantine sites would be tested every three days, market workers every week, and foreigners and other high-risk people every two weeks, the announcement said.
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As more countries ditch ‘zero-Covid’ policy, why is China opting to ‘wait and see’?
China has maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards cases, rolling out mass testing, frequent contact tracing, lengthy quarantines and strict border controls.
Ruili had reported 49 symptomatic and asymptomatic infections as of Saturday during the present outbreak that started last month. It has undergone four strict lockdowns since September last year, lasting about seven months in total.