New Covid alarm in Shanghai, where another 50 infections were recorded on Sunday and above all 3,450 new asymptomatics on Saturday, when the ascertained numbers were, respectively, 47 and 2,631.
This was reported by the municipal government, which also announced a "structured" lockdown.
In fact, on Sunday evening, Shanghai reported a two-phase blockade of the city of 25 million inhabitants to be able to carry out anti-Covid tests in nine days.
China, on the other hand, reported 1,219 additional locally transmitted infections overall, according to the latest updates of the National Health Commission, of which 1,086 in Jilin, 50 in Shanghai, 12 in Liaoning and 10 in Heilongjiang, while the remainder is divided into 14 provincial regions. Imported infections stood at 56, the Commission specified, adding that six suspected cases, all from abroad, were detected in Shanghai, while new asymptomatic carriers rose to 5,134, of which 4,996 were domestic.
Shanghai therefore continues to be one of the most critical Covid outbreaks, despite the majority of cases being asymptomatic.
From March 28 to April 5, the city of 25 million people has therefore placed in lockdown, for four days, the areas east of the Huangpu River, which includes Pudong, the financial district and industrial parks. Thereafter, the block will move to the other half of the city, Puxi, to the west, for another four days.
Residents will be prevented from leaving their homes and city public transport services will be suspended, while private cars will not be able to circulate on the roads except in case of need and medical emergencies will be guaranteed.
This is the most drastic anti-Covid measure that has hit the city so far and also marks a turning point for the local government, which last week expressly denied the lockdown.
Wu Fan, a member of the Shanghai Covid-19 coronavirus expert pool, said in a briefing this morning that recent mass tests have detected "large-scale" infections, calling for a stronger response.
Airports, railway stations and freight transport will function normally during the mass tests, said Wu Jinglei, director of the Municipal Health Commission.
(Unioneonline / vl)