Shanghai: Despite the imposition of the draconian ‘Zero Covid policy’, China reported its highest daily total of fresh infections in two years on Friday. Recording nearly 1,000 infections, authorities in major cities have resorted to step up testing and imposing targeted lockdowns.
In less than a week, the cases soared from 300 a day to 1100. On Thursday, the National Health Commission (NHC) documented reports of a total of 397 local confirmed and 703 local asymptomatic infections.
With the public fatigue over the Zero COVID policy, authorities are now avoiding the implementation of large-scale clampdowns. In Shanghai, some museums will be temporarily closed beginning on Friday, the city government said, but there have otherwise been no broad shutdowns nor any widespread social media anger. The southern city of Shenzhen went to online schooling in February when cases began to rise there, and remains so. In Beijing, several residential compounds have been fully or partially locked down. One northeastern city ordered residents to avoid unnecessary travel this week, and the eastern port of Qingdao has initiated testing in specific areas.
Social media floats images of students and teachers confined to the premises for more than 48 hours while authorities screen each individual. Malls and restaurants have been locked down as authorities pounce to work to trace close contacts.
COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China late in 2019. The country has been facing huge excoriated by the WHO claiming it was responsible for breeding the novel virus in their labs. The virus since then has been compounding its effects on mankind mutating briskly.