Shanghai (dpa) – The Chinese port metropolis of Shanghai has extended the corona lockdown for its 26 million inhabitants indefinitely. Referring to the rapid increase in infections, Vice Party leader Gu Honghui told the press of a “race against time”.
Monday’s mass testing, verification and transportation of infected people to quarantine must first be completed before a decision is made on further control measures. “The situation is very serious.”
In China’s worst corona wave for two years, Beijing’s health commission reported a record high of more than 16,000 new infections. With more than 15,000, most cases are asymptomatic. In Shanghai alone, 268 illnesses and more than 13,000 infections without symptoms have been reported after testing in recent days – for the first time more than 10,000 in one day. Jilin Province in northeast China is also hard hit, where there are also curfews and millions of people are being tested.
The Zero Covid strategy has its limits
China is pursuing a strict zero-Covid strategy, which will be put to the test with Omicron and especially with the fast-spreading BA.2 variant. In China, anyone infected goes to a hospital or temporary quarantine facility in Shanghai, including gymnasiums, exhibition halls and hotels. But they reach their limits. The city has recorded more than 70,000 infections since early March. More than 110,000 close contacts have also been identified, who are being tracked separately.
In fact, curfews in western Shanghai are only expected to operate from Friday to Tuesday, but as before in the east and south, where the lockdown is expected to go from Monday to Friday, people still have to stay at home. . “The virus has been spreading rapidly and secretly,” Vice Party leader Gu Honghui said. “It’s a big challenge for testing capacity.” Authorities were working hard to analyze the situation and decide how to proceed.
The largest mobilization since the start of the pandemic
Authorities deliver food, but complaints abound. The deputy party leader also acknowledged the problems for chronically ill or pregnant women to receive medical care. According to him, the difficulties are being resolved. According to news reports, about 40,000 medical workers from other regions have been transferred to Shanghai, including 2,000 military doctors.
It is the largest mobilization of medical personnel in China since the outbreak of the pandemic in the metropolis of Wuhan, where the virus was first discovered in late 2019. Authorities in the most populous country have since faced successfully to epidemics with lockdowns, mass testing, quarantines, disruption of transport links and international lockdowns. Life has been largely normal for the past two years. With the rate at which Omicron is spreading, however, strict measures are working less and less.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220405-99-798580/3
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