Mass testing in Wuhan ordered as COVID-19 cases rise due to Delta variant

Wuhan, where COVID-19 was first detected, reports its first local coronavirus infections in over a year, prompting authorities to mass test the city's 11 million residents.

Seven locally transmitted infections were detected among migrant workers in the city. Senior Wuhan official Li Tao says the city is “swiftly launching comprehensive nucleic acid testing of all residents” as lockdowns are implemented.

All forms of public transport, including flights and trains, have also been suspended. The Chinese Basketball Association has also canceled its league games due to the pandemic.

China has previously curbed COVID-19 with lockdowns and mass testing to isolate infected people whenever they detected new cases. Cases were down to the hundreds and outbreaks didn't spread beyond a city or province.

Now, there are a total of 61 new coronavirus cases throughout the country in over 35 cities in 17 provinces.

Authorities are attributing the biggest outbreak the country has seen in months to the highly contagious Delta variant and the domestic tourism season. It is said to have started from an airport in Nanjing, the provincial capital of Jiangsu. Other cities like Beijing and Shanghai report local cases in the single digits.