Covid-19 Curbs: Western Half Of Shanghai Under Lockdown, South Korea Relaxes Restrictions

Almost two-thirds of Shanghai's population living in the western part of the Chinese financial hub have been confined to their homes.

China Shanghai Lockdown (Getty Image)

New Delhi: Shanghai has confined around 16 million people in the western part of the city on Friday after ending a four-day lockdown of the eastern half to rein in the outbreak of cases in the country.

Shanghai emerged as the epicenter of China's worst outbreak of the viral disease.

Latest Covid-19 Update In China

Almost two-thirds of Shanghai’s population living in the western part of the Chinese financial hub have been confined to their homes starting at 3 am on Friday, according to Bloomberg.

The city’s daily infections increased from five in early March to almost 6,000 this week, though they’ve subsequently declined, as per the report. In fact, many patients also succumbed to the infection in recent days at a large Shanghai elderly-care hospital amid a Covid outbreak, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

However, Shanghai didn’t officially declare any Covid-related deaths or outbreaks in its elderly-care centers since cases emerged in March. The fatalities are a sign that infections are hitting Shanghai harder than authorities have publicly disclosed, the report said.

Covid-19 cases in Thailand

Thailand continues to report a record number of new infections for a second day taking the death toll to the highest in more than five months. The health ministry on Friday reported 28,379 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, including 62 imported cases, while there were 92 fatalities, according to Bloomberg.

Covid-19 cases in South Korea

With signs of infection slowing down, South Korea will ease measures including social distancing, allowing private gatherings of up to 10 people and restaurants to operate until midnight, according to Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum.

Currently, up to 8 people are allowed in private gatherings, and restaurants and cafes must close by 11 pm. The eased measures will be effective Monday.

South Korea on Thursday reported 320,743 more coronavirus cases, compared with a record 621,328 cases reported earlier in March.