Wuhan Allegedly Plans to Test the Entire Population of 11 Million People After New Cluster Found

Like it or not, China is now held as the bastion of hope for the entire world during this Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously, they were the hardest hit by Covid-19, reporting thousands of new Covid-19 cases per day.

But since 2016, they have reported 0 cases.

Granted, they did not include the asymptomatic cases into the count although these cases are being monitored.

But on 11 May, Wuhan reported five new confirmed cases, all from the same residential compound.

This new Covid-19 cluster could not have come at a worse time, as restrictions all over China are being eased; businesses are restarting and people are going back to work.

China’s health authorities are also alarmed that the number of “new Covid-19 cases” is continuing to increase.

“In the past 14 days, seven provinces have reported new locally transmitted cases, with cases involving clusters continuing to increase.

“We need to investigate and determine the origin of the infections and transmission routes.”

Wuhan Allegedly Plans to Test the Entire Population of 11 Million People After New Cluster Found

According to reports, Wuhan is allegedly going to test its entire population of 11 million people.

Not just that.

They want to do it within 10 days.

An internal document ordered officials to submit (by noon on Tuesday, 12 May 2020) plans to apply nucleic acid tests on every individual living in the city.

“Each district should make plans and arrangements to conduct nucleic acid tests on the entire population in its jurisdiction within a 10-day time limit.”

It wasn’t clear when the testing would begin.

Officials Confused

It seems like not all officials are on the same page.

An official from the Dongxihu District epidemic prevention and control commanding office say they did not receive news about this notice.

Mr Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said this move “wasn’t necessary”.

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Not everyone in Wuhan has to be tested.

Neighbourhoods which hasn’t reported any Covid-19 cases do not require everyone to be screened.

Any large-scale testing, he added, should be focused on criteria like “key jobs”.

Other infectious diseases experts in China also said that city-wide testing is unnecessary and costly.

A Lesson For Everyone

We’re all impatient for CB to be lifted.

We all want to go back to our usual way of life where we can dine out at Sushi Express and clock out from the office at 6pm instead of working until 9pm at home.

But just because CB is lifted doesn’t mean it’s “business as usual”.

Like my colleague said:

Everyone will have to practise safe distancing, wear masks, and refrain from visiting crowded areas. Office work would no longer be the same as you’d have to follow certain guidelines which you can read all about here.

This virus, unfortunately, is not an easy enemy to defeat. Many countries have won several battles with the disease, but as China’s new infections show, we’ve yet to win the war.

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