Shanghai, China, disputes rumours of a lockdown as the city approaches 1,000 Covid cases.
Shanghai, China, disputes rumours of a lockdown as the city approaches 1,000 Covid cases.
Translate This News In

Authorities in the Chinese city of Shanghai have refuted rumours of a city-wide lockdown after a sixth consecutive increase in daily asymptomatic coronavirus infections raised its tally to record levels, despite a huge testing operation aimed at stopping the spread.

The latest outbreak in China’s wealthy commercial hub is minor by global standards, but authorities are continuing with the testing campaign that has seen many people locked in residential compounds for days as the city implements a national “dynamic clearance” policy aimed at eradicating flare-ups as they occur.

Total local COVID- On Tuesday, the number of infections in Shanghai surpassed 1,000, but the city declared late in the day that it would continue to its “slicing and gridding” strategy and screen its inhabitants neighbourhood by neighbourhood rather than shutting down completely.

READ:   Despite the War, Ukraine And Russia Sign Agreement To End Global Food Crisis

“Please do not trust and spread rumours,” the city authority urged on its Weibo microblog site.

On Wednesday, a health official told a press conference that the city had converted two stadiums into quarantine centres for mild cases and asymptomatic carriers.

A number of subway stations were also closed on Wednesday due to COVID-19 regulations, according to the company in charge of the transit system.

According to data from the National Health Commission (NHC), the municipality recorded 977 domestically transmitted asymptomatic infections on Tuesday, up from 865 the day before.

It also reported four local cases with definite symptoms, down from 31 a day before, which China counts separately.

READ:   Stella Tennant: Model bids farewell to us after 50th birthday

‘INFINITE LOOP’ is a term used to describe a loop that is infinite in length.

While some compounds in the city were reopened, others remained closed for several days to try to break down transmission chains. After a neighbour tested positive, some residents said they would be quarantined for two weeks.

One Weibo user, “Zhang Fan’s Viewpoint,” suggested that officials should shut down the city to alleviate the uncertainty produced by 48-hour lockdowns for testing that are frequently prolonged.

“This endless circle of 48 hours plus 48 hours plus 48 hours is more likely to lead regular people to lose control of their emotions,” the resident stated. “It would be better to immediately notify six days, eight days, or even 14 days.”

READ:   In Beijing, over 13,000 Covid-Negative People Have Been "Forcibly" Sent To Quarantine

According to the NHC data, Mainland China recorded 2,591 locally transmitted cases with verified symptoms on Tuesday, up from 2,281 the day before. The number of new local asymptomatic cases increased to 2,346 from 2,313 the previous day.

Tangshan, China’s largest steelmaking city, advised late Tuesday that citizens who are not critical workers must stay at home unless there is an emergency or they need to be tested. The city authority did not say when the citywide lockdown would be lifted.

The northern city of Shenyang also stated that its 9 million citizens would be subjected to three more rounds of testing from Thursday to March 30, in addition to the three previously performed.

READ:   The New Work Rule for Covid Patients in China Megacity Is a Major U-Turn

As of March 22, mainland China had recorded 137,231 cases with confirmed symptoms, including both domestic and international cases. There were no additional fatalities, bringing the total to 4,638.

The coronavirus was discovered in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.