HONG KONG: Hong Kong will offer free, universal testing to its residents starting September 1.
The testing program, which will last a maximum of two weeks, is on a voluntary basis.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said that universal testing was possible due to support from Beijing, which provided resources such as laboratory staff to boost capacity in the semi-autonomous city.
The program is aimed at identifying individuals who are infected but have exhibited no symptoms.
The city, with a population of 7.5 million, has conducted over 1.2 million tests so far.
Critics of the universal testing program say that there may be potential privacy concerns, given that the program is supported by the Chinese Communist Party.
Lam brushed aside such concerns, stating that no matter what the government did, there will always be people who come up with conspiracy theories.