China puts 24 million people under lockdown after surge in COVID cases

Beijing, Mar 28: Amid the increase in COVID cases in the country, China has decided to put Shanghai which is the largest city, under lockdown. Shanghai is home to more than 24 million people. A record 3,450 asymptomatic Covid-19 infections were reported in Shanghai accounting for nearly 70% of the nationwide total, along with 50 symptomatic cases, the city government said on Monday.

  

 

The local government has split the city in two roughly along the Huangpu River for nine days to allow for staggered testing. Shanghai's Pudong financial district and nearby areas will be locked down from early Monday (March 28) to Friday as citywide mass testing gets underway. In the second phase of the lockdown, the vast downtown area west of the Huangpu River that divides the city will then start its own five-day lockdown on Friday.

 

Apart from this, the city government said on Sunday that it would also suspend public transport, including ride-hailing services, in locked down areas. It has also ordered the suspension of work at firms and factories, with the exception of those offering public services or supplying food.

 

Residents will be required to stay home and deliveries will be left at checkpoints to ensure there is no contact with the outside world. Offices and all businesses not considered essential will be closed and public transport suspended.

 

 

Many communities within Shanghai have already been locked down, with their residents required to submit to multiple tests for Covid-19. Shanghai's Disney theme park is among the businesses that have been closed earlier.

 

China has so far reported more than 56,000 coronavirus infections this month, with a surging outbreak in the northeastern province of Jilin accounting for most of them.