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Chinese city swabs fish, crabs, other animals to test for COVID-19

The Chinese city of Xiamen has been testing freshly caught fish, shrimp, crabs and other sea creatures for COVID-19 in an effort to crack down on another coronavirus outbreak, viral videos circulating social media this week showed, according to the al-Arabiya English.
It said, health workers are seen sticking cotton swabs, like those commonly used for PCR tests, into the mouths of fish and crabs which sparked uproar on social media, with many saying that the country had taken its zero-COVID policy too far.
China has relied on mass testing, occasional snap lockdowns and extensive quarantines in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.
A notice issued by Xiamen authorities last month ordered both “fishermen and fishing goods” to be tested for COVID-19 once a week.
“If you go to sea again, you need to provide a 48-hour nucleic acid test certificate,” the notice stated, insisting that “seagoing operators must actively cooperate” with government regulations on the matter.
厦门流行给鱼虾螃蟹测核酸,已经成为了国际大新闻,震惊了世界。岂止鱼虾螃蟹,连贝类也要测,万物皆有肺,都能感染新冠。 pic.twitter.com/ghl0CzuiTa
— 方舟子 (@fangshimin) August 21, 2022
The authorities said that since June, “illegal trading and illegal contact” between fishermen in the Fujian province and overseas vessels lead to the spread of COVID-19 to China which caused “great social harm.”
Over five million people have been ordered to undergo COVID-19 testing in Xiamen this week after around 40 infections were confirmed, the BBC reported on Friday.
Oil prices decline as China renews COVID-19 restrictions
Professor Jin Dongyan from Hong Kong University’s School of Biomedical Sciences told the CNN that China’s mass testing policy on seafood was a “waste of resources.”
“They should focus on the people rather than the fish,” he said, adding that testing the fish was “completely useless” because it was highly unlikely that a fish with a COVID-19 infection could spread the virus to humans.
“It is 100 or 1,000 times more possible that these fishermen got infected by other fishermen. There’s no evidence that the fish can transmit the virus.”
Source: alarabiyaenglish
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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