August 26, 2022
1 min read

Millions wait in line for Covid test amid extreme heat in China

Chongqing reported 40 Covid cases on Wednesday, taking the the total to 146 since mid-August….reports Asian Lite News

The Chinese metropolis of Chongqing has rolled out mass Covid testing in its central area amid a record heatwave, leaving millions of residents standing under the sun for hours as they struggle with extreme temperature and power shortage, media reports said.

Stringent zero-Covid measures enacted by the southwestern mega city to contain an emerging outbreak are the latest hardships for residents already reeling from a crippling heatwave, severe drought and blazing wildfires, CNN reported.

Chongqing reported 40 Covid cases on Wednesday, taking the the total to 146 since mid-August.



Authorities ordered more than 10 million people in the city’s central urban districts to undergo mandatory Covid test on Wednesday, when the highest temperature in Chongqing soared past 40-degree Celsius, CNN reported.

More than 3,800 temporary testing sites have been set up across the central districts. Photos on Chinese social media showed residents forming long queues at the sites, with some passing out in the intense heat.

One widely-circulated video showed a street packed with hundreds of people apparently waiting in line for Covid test, most wearing face masks and some fanning themselves to relieve the heat. In the background, plumes of smoke from wildfires rose above the pale orange skyline, CNN reported.

“It’s 43-degree C, the people of Chongqing are already stretched to the limit,” a resident said on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform.

To ensure residents in the central districts comply with the testing mandate, authorities turned the health code on everyone’s mobile phone to orange. The code will turn green only after they complete the Covid test.

A green code is a prerequisite for going about daily life in China, where freedom of movement is dictated by a colour-code system imposed by the government to control the spread of the virus, CNN reported.

ALSO READ: How China accounts manipulate Uyghur discourse

Previous Story

‘Hefazat-e-Islam poses challenge for Bangladesh’

Next Story

$80mn US grant to back agri projects in Afghanistan

Latest from -Top News

India opens world’s highest rail bridge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir and flagged off the much-awaited Vande Bharat Express to Srinagar, marking a historic moment

Sisi, MBZ cement ties

UAE and Egypt bolster ties through high-level talks in Abu Dhabi and a landmark cardiac care initiative delivering lifesaving treatment to rural communities The United Arab Emirates and Egypt reaffirmed their strong

‘UAE leads global fight against plastic waste’

UAE accelerates its fight against plastic pollution with a bold single-use plastic ban and expanded environmental policies to safeguard natural ecosystems for future generations The United Arab Emirates continues to lead the

70,000 Gaza kids starve

WFP warned that any further escalation of conflict could paralyse relief operations altogether, deepening the plight of civilians—especially children, the elderly, and vulnerable groups As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies, the

Prayers on the Mount

The Day of Arafat, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage, witnessed a congregation of believers from around the world As the sun blazed overhead and temperatures climbed to a sweltering 41°C,
Go toTop

Don't Miss

China, Pakistan, Khalistan: A Surprising Alliance

Though puzzling at first, closer scrutiny uncovers a network of

Xi assures ASEAN countries of cooperation

The South China Sea has also attracted strategic interest from