Controversy Over 'Penguin Walk' After Anal Exam... China Claims "It Was Manipulated"

Anal Examinations Conducted in Some Regions of China... "More Accurate and Comfortable After the Test"

Screenshot of video related to the controversy over anal examinations in China.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] In China, after a video showing people waddling like penguins following anal tests for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) sparked controversy, authorities dismissed it as "not true."

On the 1st, according to China's Global Times, the Internet Reporting Center of Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, claimed that the video was manipulated.

Furthermore, after verifying with hospital medical staff, it was confirmed that in Shijiazhuang, samples were only collected from the nose and throat, and no anal tests were conducted.

They emphasized, "Anal tests are only conducted on hospitalized patients with diarrhea due to COVID-19 and do not cause any discomfort."

Global Times introduced netizens' experiences reporting no particular discomfort after anal tests, and noted opinions suggesting that since only boys appeared in the video, it might have been filmed after circumcision.

The authorities warned that spreading false information online could lead to legal punishment.

Earlier, a video circulated on Weibo showing people waddling, claiming to be "children who underwent anal tests for COVID-19 in Shijiazhuang."

After the video was released, netizens reacted with comments such as "Isn't this a bit much? I can't understand it," "Absurd and humiliating test," and "A COVID-19 test scarier than the virus itself."

In places like Beijing and Qingdao, Shandong Province, anal tests are being conducted on incoming travelers or those who had close contact with confirmed cases.

Unlike the traditional method of collecting samples by inserting a swab into the mouth or nose, this method involves inserting a swab into the anus to collect samples.

China introduced this test based on expert opinions that anal testing is more appropriate for detecting asymptomatic carriers or confirmed patients whose respiratory symptoms have disappeared.