300 silent spreaders isolated from 10 million in Wuhan virus testing

Health workers in the first epicentre of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the central Chinese city of Wuhan where it all began, have tested more than 9.89 million residents for the Sars-CoV-2 virus that leads to Covid-19 since last month, completing the widest mass testing for the virus in less than three weeks.

While not a single confirmed case was detected in the nucleic acid tests (NATs) conducted, 300 residents — 0.003% — turned out to be asymptomatic or those who are infected and don’t show symptoms, local health officials said on Tuesday.

Overall, 9,899,828 NATs were carried out between May 14 and June 1 that was ordered after a cluster infection emerged in a residential complex.

The unusual decision to mass test was closely followed by governments and health authorities globally, especially how to track down silent spreaders.

BEIJING: The Chinese city of Wuhan has tested more than 9.89 million residents for the coronavirus since last month, completing the biggest mass testing for the Covid-19 pathogen in less than three weeks.

While not a single confirmed case was detected in the nucleic acid tests (NAT) conducted in Wuhan, 300 residents turned out to be asymptomatic, local health officials said on Tuesday. China doesn’t count asymptomatic cases as confirmed ones.

Overall, 9,899,828 NATs were carried out between May 14 and June 1, a mass testing campaign that was ordered after a cluster of infections emerged in a residential complex, a month after the city was gradually eased out of an 11-week lockdown.

More than 1,100 close contacts of the asymptomatic residents were tracked and isolated, officials said.

The coronavirus first emerged late last year in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, before spreading across China and then, rapidly, worldwide.

The city of Wuhan and the province of Hubei bore the brunt of the outbreak in the country, accounting for more than 60,000 cases and the majority of deaths.

The unusual decision to mass test and its implementation were closely followed by governments and health authorities globally as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, and, especially, how to track down silent spreaders.

The campaign will be difficult to replicate because of the massive mobilisation of resources required, including deploying medics and setting up temporary testing centres. The tests were held in less than three weeks.