Wuhan's residents queue up for COVID-19 testing; 11 million residents to be tested

Hundreds of people lined up in Wuhan's streets to get tested for COVID-19 as fresh cases have been found in the city.

Wuhan was the epicentre of coronavirus. Authorities started the campaign of testing 11 million residents in 10 days after a cluster of new cases raised fears of a second wave of infections.

Residents in Wuhan queued up in the streets of Wuhan in rain to take part in a government-led exercise to test 11 million people for coronavirus.

Health officials said participation of people at such a level is unprecedented.

In Wuhan’s Qiaokou district, at the Zirun Mingyuan apartment community where about 10,000 people stood under umbrellas while elderly residents perched on stools as they waited to get tested at four sites set up in the middle of the compound.

Many said they were notified by text by the compound’s residential committee on Tuesday that they could get tested in batches and were under the impression it was voluntary and free of charge.

Authorities say they aim to test all 11 million residents, though the priority are people from 12 categories, such as school, medical, transport, supermarket and government workers and people returning from overseas or leaving Wuhan for work.