Beijing has introduced anal swabs as a new type of coronavirus test that could detect the virus more accurately.
- The test involves inserting a cotton-tipped swab about 1-2 inches into the rectum, which will then be tested for the virus.
- Anal swab tests could be more accurate than nose or throat tests, said Li Tongzeng, deputy director of the respiratory and infectious diseases department at Beijing You An Hospital, in an interview with state media.
- Li said studies show that the virus lasts longer in the anus or excrement than in the respiratory tract and that an anal test could be better at identifying the disease in mild or asymptomatic cases.
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