China has denied taking anal swabs for coronavirus from US diplomats. This was stated by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Zhao Lijian, quoted by Reuters.
“As far as I know, the Chinese side has never required American diplomats in the country to undergo tests by taking rectal swabs,” the diplomat emphasized.
Earlier in February, some representatives of the US diplomatic mission in China complained that they were being forced to have a smear test for COVID-19. Then the representatives of the State Department told Reuters that they would study the issue and make a decision. The ministry stressed that they want to “preserve the dignity of” US officials “in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Human Rights.
At the end of January, China began using a new method for testing for coronavirus – anal swabs. This unusual method was used along with nasal and oropharyngeal swabs and antibody tests.