Shanghai Covid Cases Hold Below 10,000 as Beijing Curbs Rise
Shanghai -- home to 25 million people -- reported 7,333 new cases for Sunday, down from 7,872 on Saturday.
(Bloomberg) -- Shanghai reported fewer than 10,000 Covid-19 cases for a second day, adding to cautious signs the financial hub’s outbreak is starting to ease as Beijing imposed a raft of new restrictions aimed at avoiding a similar crisis in the capital.
Shanghai -- home to 25 million people -- reported 7,333 new cases for Sunday, down from 7,872 on Saturday. On Sunday, city authorities clarified their threshold for zero community spread, saying six districts “basically” met this criteria and can enjoy less restrictive measures.
However, in Beijing, which reported 41 new cases for Sunday compared with 59 cases on Saturday, authorities are clamping down to ensure the Labor Day holiday period doesn’t spark a wider outbreak. The city has closed gyms and cinemas and banned dining-in at restaurants during the holiday, which runs through Wednesday. Parks and open entertainment venues will operate at 50% capacity.
After the holiday ends, students and workers will need to get a negative Covid test within 48 hours to be able to return to school and work. Residents will have to get a negative result within seven days to catch public transport and enter public venues, and everyone in the city of about 22 million people will then need to be tested weekly.
Beijing authorities announced a new round of mass testing in 12 districts, starting on May 3, during a press briefing Monday. Since April 22, Beijing has reported a total of 400 Covid cases across 14 districts, according to the city government.
The nation is battling its worst outbreak since the virus emerged in Wuhan in late 2019, with the lockdown imposed on Shanghai’s residents one of the longest and most punishing. The city’s crisis has prompted other regions to impose more hardline measures at the slightest sign of flareups to avoid the social and economic dislocation endured by the financial hub.
Jingjiang, a city of about 665,000 people in Jiangsu province, announced a lockdown Sunday after finding just one asymptomatic case.
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With assistance from Bloomberg