In China, even fish caught at sea must now be tested for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The dpa agency reports this on Friday, August 19th. A video that is running on the net, showing how a fish is opened in the port of Xiamen and a cotton swab is taken from there for a covid test with a cotton swab, caused a stir and funny comments on the Chinese segment of the internet.

In response to a request from the dpa, a spokesperson for the Xiamen Department of Health confirmed that the port city is indeed testing for COVID-19 not only for returning fishermen, but also for fish they have brought back. According to him, these checks are being carried out in accordance with a special order from the Jimei District authorities. The document was issued in late July out of concern that Chinese fishermen would do illegal business with fishermen from other countries by going to sea, buying fish from them.

China’s “zero covid” policy

China, where the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected in December 2019, is following a strict zero covid strategy. It is completely closed to foreigners. Those few visitors who are allowed into the country are usually required to spend seven days in a hotel quarantine room, and then three days are under observation. In metropolitan areas with millions of people, people usually need to be tested every three days. Having a negative COVID-19 test result in a special app on a smartphone is necessary even to be admitted to stores, markets or your own residential complex.

Also, people should scan themselves everywhere using the COVID-19 mobile software app so that their social contacts can be tracked. Anyone identified as a contact person infected with covid or as being in a “risk zone” must self-isolate. Those who test positive for COVID-19 are hospitalized. Sometimes a lockdown is introduced on entire neighborhoods if an infected person is identified among the residents. But despite the crackdown, the world’s most populous country is currently facing the worst coronavirus outbreak of any pandemic, as its latest strain, omicron, spreads easily.

As of Friday, China’s National Health Commission reported more than 500 new cases of COVID-19 and more than 2,000 asymptomatic cases. Hainan Island was particularly affected. Tens of thousands of tourists are trapped there. The Xiamen Maritime Development Bureau told Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post that the infection may have been brought to Hainan by Chinese fishermen believed to have been in contact with fishermen from other countries at sea. “We’re not the only place they do it,” that’s how they responded to journalists’ question about testing fish and fishermen for SARS-CoV-2.