Health authorities said Tuesday that testing organizations found to be falsifying nucleic acid test results will be severely punished, as the country works to combat COVID-19-related misconduct.

Guo Yanhong, director of the National Health Commission's health emergency division, said that greater effort will be made to oversee and regulate testing institutes, and misconduct will be dealt with in accordance with the law in a "stringent manner".

This year, testing organizations in places as diverse as Beijing, Hefei, Shijiazhuang, Xuchang, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region have been punished for wrongdoing, and some of those in charge have faced criminal charges, Guo told the news conference in Beijing.

To avoid cross-infection during testing, Guo urged organizers to step up on-site management and ensure that those being tested move in a single direction.

She also asked those being tested to maintain a safe distance and to not touch anything on the sampling counter.

Some areas have rolled out kits that allow people to test on their own and avoid gathering. Guo noted that organizers should ensure that such tests are carried out in a proper, effective and safe manner.