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In an effort to contain a flare-up that has rocked the financial capital just days before one of China’s most significant political events, city officials have quietly closed schools and a variety of other locations, raising the number of Covid cases in Shanghai to a three-month high.
The city recorded 47 new cases on Wednesday, the highest number since a brief flare-up on July 13 that sparked concerns about a potential countrywide lockdown. All but two of the most recent cases were discovered in quarantine. Wednesday saw 18 cases in Beijing.
Even though the conflict is minor by global measures, it is escalating only days before China’s once every five years Party Congress, where President Xi Jinping is anticipated to win a record-breaking third term in office.
Despite the rising social and economic costs of Covid Zero, Xi has made it a pillar of his leadership. This week, China’s propaganda machine stepped up its advocacy of the policy, indicating that there won’t be a change toward accepting the virus any time soon.
According to parents and posts on social media, several schools in Shanghai have stopped holding in-person sessions as concern about the spread of virus intensifies. In an effort to stop transmission, at least five districts have shut down entertainment establishments like theatres, clubs, and gyms, according to comments made by Covid prevention offices.
Authorities confirmed on Sunday that there is not a citywide school closure despite social media rumours to the contrary. However, the 25 million people who live in Shanghai are on edge due to the escalating suspensions as well as an increase in additional restrictions like the lockdown of specific areas and residential compounds.
Users of social media bemoaned China’s Covid Zero policy’s incessant cycle of closures and reopenings. Many people in Shanghai struggled to get access to food and medical treatment during a two-month lockdown, which led to speculation that they would experience another one soon.
