Chinese officials in the city of Xiamen are conducting mass swabbing tests following a rise in Covid cases, and are including sea creatures in their swabs.
Videos emerged online on China’s social media platforms, with fishes and even crabs being swapped for the coronavirus.
A netizen who shared a Weibo video of the swabbing on Twitter, said “The nucleic acid testing for fish, shrimp and crabs in Xiamen has become a big international news and shocked the world. Not only fish, shrimp and crabs, but even shellfish are tested. Anything that has lungs”
Maritime officials in Xiamen, reasoned that doing so helps to keep the city’s residents safe, as their outbreak worsens.
More than 5 million people were ordered to undergo mass testing after 65 cases were found, with the Jimei Maritime Pandemic Control district committee issuing a notice for the testing of “all fishermen and their catch”.