Residents in Guangzhou may have noticed that over the past several days a lot of epidemic prevention workers in protective suits have been working across the city's communities, taking throat swab samples conducting epidemiological investigation.

People line up for nucleic acid tests at the Peace World Plaza in Yuexiu, Guangzhou. (Photo: Nanfang Plus)

Guangzhou has adjusted its epidemic prevention and control measures and is ramping up the screening and testing for the coronavirus to minimize the risk of community spread, according to Li Ming, deputy mayor of Guangzhou.

Before, Guangzhou only tested the close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases, but now it will extend the range and test as many people as possible to best contain possible spread of the virus. For example, if there is a case in a residential community, all inhabitants including both family members and neighbours will be tested.

In addition to the designated hospitals running COVID-19 tests, the city had set up another 160 temporary check points for running throat swab sampling between 16th and 19th in a number of key venues, such as the Peace World Plaza (好世界广场) in Jianshe Community, the Tangxia Village (棠下村) in Tianhe, Dengfeng Community (登峰街), and Guangda Trading City (广大商贸城).

About 146,000 staff workers from the health department, CDC centers, public security bureaus and communities have all been taking part in the screening and testing work.

Prevention workers in protective suits take throat swab samples in a residential community in Baiyun, Guangzhou. (Photo: Nanfang Plus) 

Li pointed out that the city had tested 68,000 people last weekend, 53,000 results had been published as of April 20th, and only 7 asymptomatic cases were detected.

Li stressed that the government is taking steps in advance to stop any potential risk and protect the health and safety of everyone in the city, and she hopes all residents will still be both on guard, but also not panic, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene and social distancing.

Test results of 11,300 taxi drivers

Guangzhou is testing all 30,000 taxi drivers across the city, according to Tang Xiaoping, head of the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission. As of yesterday noon (April 20th), 11,300 results have come back, and all were negative for COVID-19 except for the close contacts of a recent confirmed case who happens to be a taxi driver.

A taxi driver receives throat swab nucleic acid test. (Photo: Nanfang Plus)

Pan Shuangming, head of the Guangzhou Municipal Transportation Bureau, said that after the testing of all taxi drivers is complete, the city will probably test all ride-hailing drivers and bus drivers as well based on advice from the CDC and health commission. Pan mentioned that there are currently over 100,000 people working in the public transportation across the city.

Students, teachers and staff to be tested before school

Guangzhou will test the first batch of about 30,000 teachers and staff as well as 167,000 senior students of both middle and high schools who are set to return to school at the end of this month. Specific arrangements will be published later this week.

Guangzhou's nucleic acid test capacity

Li pointed out that Guangzhou is fully capable of testing as many people as possible because the city currently has a daily COVID-19 testing capacity of 70,000.

Tang Xiaoping explained that four kinds of organizations are able to conduct nucleic acid testing in Guangzhou, including 10 CDC centers at provincial, municipal and district levels, 31 designated hospitals, Guangzhou Customs and third-party detection institutions. "Our daily testing capacity could be stretched to 100,000 per day if needed," Tang added.

Author: Monica Liu

Editors: Olivia Yang, Simon Haywood