Shanghai: The financial hub of China- the epicentre of the current outbreak on Tuesday tightened its curbs clamping transportation a day after the city recorded massive screening camps which recorded more than 13,000 fresh infections. Overall the National Health COmmision recorded 16,412 infections across China- the highest since the outbreak
The two-stage lockdown which began on March 28th scheduled to end a week later showed no signs of relaxation as authorities struggled to combat the outbreak. On April, 4th Shanghai alone reported 13,086 new asymptomatic cases against 8,581 recorded the previous day. However, the ratio of symptomatic cases remains lower globally. Late Monday, announcements were made to inform the deepening of restrictions from Tuesday.
Around 38,000 health care professionals in Hazmat suits testing residents, in what is called the nation’s biggest medical operation since the shutdown of WUHAN in early 2020. The financial capital’s lockdown has massively disrupted daily life and businesses, even as healthcare workers and volunteers work round the clock trying to test the entire population and supply residents with groceries.
Sun Chunlan, China’s vice-premier in charge of the COVID-19 response, said during an inspection of testing sites in Shanghai on Monday that prevention and control work was now at a “critical point” and it was vital that every resident was tested.
More than 27 Chinese provinces and regions have been reporting fresh Covid-19 cases, mostly the highly transmissible Omicron variant, forcing the authorities to impose stringent mobility restrictions or even city-wide lockdowns.