Covid In China: Two-Phase Lockdown In Shanghai As Asymptomatic Cases Surge To 3,450

The financial hub, which has a population of 26 million, accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the nationwide cases, along with 50 symptomatic cases, the city government said on Monday

Covid 19 swab test in China (Getty Image)

New Delhi: With China registering a coronavirus outbreak, the financial hub Shanghai Monday implemented a two-stage lockdown to contain the spread as the city recorded 3,450 asymptomatic Covid cases on Sunday.

The financial hub accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the nationwide cases, along with 50 symptomatic cases, the city government said on Monday, according to Reuters.

With a population of 26 million, the city has witnessed the biggest Covid-related restrictions so far as it closed bridges and tunnels besides restricting highway traffic to contain the infection.

Kind Of Restrictions Imposed

The city will be split in two along the Huangpu River for nine days and implement "staggered" testing.

The announcement is marked shift from its stance last week where the government expressly denied Shanghai would be locked down.  Back then, the city government stressed on a piecemeal "slicing and gridding" approach to contain infections from spreading.

Wu Fan, a member of Shanghai's expert Covid team informed that a recent mass testing had found "large scale" infections throughout the city.

Fan stressed that containing the large scale outbreak in our city is very important because once “infected people are put under control, we have blocked transmission."

The cross-river bridges, tunnels and highway tollbooths concentrated in the city's eastern districts will remain closed through April 1.  Areas to the west of the Huangpu River will also witness similar measures imposed between April 1 and 5.

In a statement posted to its official Weibo account, the bureau said traffic controls would be implemented on highways into and out of the city, requiring people leaving Shanghai to show proof of negative results from nucleic acid tests taken within 48 hours.

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