Wuhan locals fear virus testing could rekindle disease

Wuhan locals fear virus testing could rekindle disease

As Wuhan, the Chinese city where the COVID-19 pandemic began, revs up a massive testing campaign, some residents crowding the test centres expressed concern on Saturday that the very act of getting tested could expose them to the coronavirus.

Olivia Chan reports.

The safety of Wuhan's coronavirus test centers has become a hot topic for residents.

With some concerned that the very act of getting tested could expose them to the infection.

The Chinese city, where the COVID-19 pandemic began, has revved up a massive testing campaign... ...after a first cluster of new infections were confirmed last weekend.

All of the new cases showed no symptoms of the disease before testing positive.

Many at these open-air test centers observed social distancing rules, queuing at least about 3 feet apart.

Xu Xueping, a local resident said she supports the government's campaign.

"Since the epidemic, people have had a great sense of responsibility to keep a distance from each other to reduce risks.

I think it's fine and I am not worried about it at all." But just as many did not follow the rules.

In some cases, volunteer workers were not insisting that they comply.

Wei Zhi Jie, an 18-year-old local, said more safety measures should have been taken and crowds should be separated.

China had confirmed over 82,000 cases of COVID-19 as of Friday (May 15).

But the government does not include people found to be asymptomatic carriers of the virus in its tally... ...and does not publish a cumulative number of people that show no symptoms.