Wuhan is ordering all 11 million residents to report their body temperature every day to combat the coronavirus
- Since a fever is a primary symptom of the novel coronavirus tearing its way through Wuhan, China, the city has ordered its 11 million residents to report their body temperatures to health officials daily.
- The aim, according to a notice issued Thursday, is to "completely cut off transmission at the source."
- In the event that a person's body temperature is abnormal, a team will be sent to investigate further. If a person refuses to comply, local law enforcement authorities will intervene.
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All 11 million residents of the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed hundreds of lives, have been ordered to report their body temperatures every single day, China's state-run China Daily reported, citing a notification local authorities sent out Thursday.
Wuhan is scrambling to get the current situation under control. The city, which has been locked down for weeks, built two new hospitals in 10 days each, and schools, sports centers, exhibition halls and other local venues have been filled with thousands of beds and transformed into makeshift medical facilities.
But, more aggressive measures are necessary as the number of infection cases continues to rise.
A fever is one of the main symptoms of 2019-nCoV that emerged in Wuhan in December, so the city's local health commission issued a notice Thursday announcing a citywide body temperature monitoring plan. The notice explained that the aim is to "completely cut off transmission at the source."
Residents have been instructed to take their temperature once a day. Readings can be submitted over the phone, social media apps, and other means. In cases where a person's temperature is abnormal, an inspection team will be sent to their home to investigate further.
"The temperature checks should be carried out every day for every person to ensure that screening is comprehensive and that no one is missed," the notice explained, adding that this is not expected to significantly interfere with the daily lives of local residents.
The notice issued Thursday says that individuals who refuse to cooperate with the temperature will be dealt with by local law enforcement authorities.
By Thursday morning, the deadly coronavirus had killed more than 560 people and infected more than 28,000 people worldwide. While the virus has spread across China and to more than two dozen countries, the city of Wuhan and the larger Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital, have been the hardest hit.