Newsdeck

COVID-19

No new COVID sufferers, 300 asymptomatic, after Wuhan-wide tests

No new COVID sufferers, 300 asymptomatic, after Wuhan-wide tests
epa08420878 Grade Nine students line up for the mandatory test of the novel coronavirus at a school in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, 14 May 2020. The government plans to test all the citizens, over 10 million people, within 10 days. EPA-EFE/PENG NIAN CHINA OUT

BEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) - The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus outbreak began, has found no new cases of people suffering from COVID-19 after testing almost its entire population, and 300 asymptomatic carriers of the virus, officials said on Tuesday.

Authorities launched the vast testing campaign on May 14, and reached 9.9 million out of 11 million people, after a cluster of new cases raised fears of a second wave of infections.

China does not count people who are infected with the virus but do not show symptoms of the disease as confirmed cases.

Officials told reporters in a briefing that there had been no new confirmed cases, and said the asymptomatic carriers had been found not to be infectious; masks, toothbrushes, phones, door handles and elevator buttons that they touched had no traces of virus.

The central city, capital of Hubei province, was placed under a lockdown on Jan. 23. It was lifted on April 8.

Wuhan was the hardest hit Chinese city and accounts for the majority of the 4,634 deaths and 83,022 infections reported in mainland China.

The cost of the city-wide testing effort was about 900 million yuan ($126 million).

The northeastern city of Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang province will also launch city-wide virus testing, the local government said on its website, after finding over a dozen asymptomatic cases. (Reporting by Lusha Zhang, Roxanne Liu and Se Young Lee; Editing by Robert Birsel and Kevin Liffey)

Gallery

"Information pertaining to Covid-19, vaccines, how to control the spread of the virus and potential treatments is ever-changing. Under the South African Disaster Management Act Regulation 11(5)(c) it is prohibited to publish information through any medium with the intention to deceive people on government measures to address COVID-19. We are therefore disabling the comment section on this article in order to protect both the commenting member and ourselves from potential liability. Should you have additional information that you think we should know, please email [email protected]"

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Daily Maverick Elections Toolbox

Feeling powerless in politics?

Equip yourself with the tools you need for an informed decision this election. Get the Elections Toolbox with shareable party manifesto guide.