BEIJING — China is able to conduct 1.5 million nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 every day. Testing capabilities need to be further improved as work and production resume, said a Chinese health official May 16 at a press conference in Beijing.

The National Health Commission has called on all qualified and registered medical institutions across the country to conduct nucleic acid testing since the end of January to deal with the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases, said Guo Yanhong, an official with the commission.

The next step is to step up the building and management of laboratories, biosafety management, and the training of medical personnel, said Guo.