Shanghai: China faces worst Covid-19 outbreak since the country clamped down on the pandemic in 2020, with major cities rushing to limit business activity. On March 28, the city of 24.9 million( 249 lakh) went under lockdown to facilitate mass screening.
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China’s largest city, Shanghai is carrying out a new round of PCR and antigen testing for Covid-19 on Wednesday as daily increase in new cases remains high. Lockdown was initially planned to be lifted on April 5 but continues to remain in effect. Shanghai residents who tested positive during the previous screening will take PCR tests, while all others will take antigen tests and should they test positive, will also be required to take a PCR.
The authorities used a new scheme where areas east and south of River Huangpu closed from March 28 to April 1, while those east and south of Huangpu from April 1 to April 5. Due to the high incidence of Covid-19 infections, the authorities have extended the lockdown, without specifying the end date.
Shanghai, the coastal metropolis home to many foreign businesses and financial firms in China, has reverted schools to online classes. Some neighborhoods have entered lockdown and conducted mass testing, and residents typically cannot leave until results come back negative.
The city on Saturday told residents not to leave Shanghai unless absolutely necessary. More than 600 confirmed cases have been found since late February.
Over the past day, Shanghai detected 311 new Covid-19 cases, in addition to 16,766 asymptomatic cases which are part of a separate tally in China. China pursues stringent zero-Covid policy, which is now tested by the wave of the Omicron strain.
Shanghai has faced a surge in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks, and the authorities redirected some international passenger flights to other Chinese cities from March 21 to May 1 to relieve the Covid-19 prevention and control sector.
INDIA BLOOMS NEWS SERVICE
