SHOCKING videos show thousands of people herded into a basement car park at Shanghai airport after workers tested positive for coronavirus.
Throngs of people crammed together like sardines can be seen being shepherded by staff in hazmat gear as flights were cancelled and mandatory testing was rolled out by authorities.
The unverified videos have emerged amid reports of the chaos at Shanghai Pudong Airport as China continues to try and suppress the coronavirus.
Beijing has claimed it is returning to normal despite the pandemic after the virus was first discovered in the city of Wuhan last December.
Videos show people screaming and shouting as staff in protective gear link arms to form a human barricade as the crowd of people wearing face masks surges.
The massive crowd outnumbers the workers who are in full Hazmat bodysuits as the horde pushes forward up a ramp.
The staff can eventually be seen giving away as the massive crowds manage to burst through their line.
Other people can seen on the upper levels of the car park leaning over the railings to get a view of the outrageous scenes.
The shocking incident will spark fears of a possible super spreader event as coronavirus is known to transmit rapidly in crowds in enclosed spaces.
The Global Times – the newspaper of the ruling Communist Party – reported mandatory testing was introduced for staff and all flights were cancelled as of 11pm on Sunday.
It claims several cargo handlers and their close contacts tested positive for coronavirus.
Pictures published by the newspaper show the same parking garage as in the videos, but have much more orderly queues.
Australian journalist Bill Birtles, chief correspondent for ABC, wrote on Twitter: “Wild scenes at Shanghai Pudong airport – multiple vids going around of what appears to be a sudden decision by authorities to test all staff for #COVID19 after 2 positive cases detected.
“Reports say authorities ultimately relented as things were getting out of hand.”
Other pictures also show airport staff packed together in pens without any social distancing while police stand guard as they await tests outside.
Reportedly some 17,719 test samples were taken in the last minute operation.
Shanghai airport officials have said frontline workers will be given regular tests in the future and those in high-risk jobs will also be given vaccines for Covid-19.
The city has reported six infections linked to the airport over the last month, with officials blaming cargo handlers.
Two workers are claimed to have cleaned a container arriving from North America without wearing masks in late October.
China was ground zero for Covid-19, but now life appears to have returned to normal as the bug ravages the US and Europe.
The Communist giant has recorded only 86,442 cases and 4,634 deaths from Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Britain has suffered 1,513,045 cases and 55,024 deaths, while the US has seen 12,489,088 infections and 262,701 fatalities.
China has seen a series of sporadic outbreaks since infections trailed off in March – but seems to have completely avoided a second wave.
Questions however have been asked about whether Beijing has been honest over its figures.
And the nation has also faced allegations that it failed to pass information to the rest of the world which ultimately allowed the outbreak to become a pandemic.
China has seen its official daily case count below 100 almost every day since the end of March.
And according to their official figures, China has not recorded a death from coronavirus since April.
It is feared these figures may be part of the Communist Party’s campaign to make itself look good as it aggressively promotes its virus response.
The emergence of the coronavirus in China also brought reports of doctors and journalists being detained and harassed after raising the alarm.
US President Donald Trump has regularly criticised China as he accused them of covering up the virus and not being honest with the figures.
The coronavirus is believed to have jumped from animals to humans at a so-called wet market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Since then, pictures emerging from China appear to show life back to normal as sports arenas are reopened and nightclubs are packed once again.
Trending In The News Online revealed China has been offering sums of up to £280 for social media users to post positive things about its response to the virus in a propaganda drive.
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