China implements invasive quarantine rules amid fear of holiday coronavirus outbreak

China is enforcing strict new measures, including anal swab testing, as COVID-19 cases surge ahead of Lunar New Year, a time of high travel for the country.

Groups deemed necessary for “close monitoring”, including international arrivals, are being subjected to four tests — a nasal swab, a throat swab, a blood test and an anal swab.

“Applying extra anal swabs can improve the detection rate of infection and reduce missed diagnosis,” Li Tongzeng, associate director of respiratory and infectious diseases at…