Most of Shanghai has ended virus spread, 1M left in lockdown
BEIJING (AP) — Most of Shanghai has stopped the spread of the coronavirus in the community and fewer than 1 million people remain under strict lockdown, authorities said Monday, as the city moves toward reopening and economic data showed the gloomy impact of China's “zero-COVID" policy.
Vice Mayor Zong Ming said 15 out of Shanghai’s 16 districts had eliminated virus transmission among those not already in quarantine.
“The epidemic in our city is under effective control. Prevention measures have achieved incremental success," Zong said at a news briefing.
Supermarkets, malls and restaurants were allowed to reopen Monday with limits on the numbers of people and mandated “no contact" transactions. But restrictions on movement remain in place and the subway train system remains closed for now.
Even as case numbers fall, city and national authorities have sent mixed messages about the state of Shanghai's outbreak and when life can return to normal in the city of 25 million, where many residents have been confined to their homes, compounds and neighborhoods for more than 50 days. A prospective date of June 1 has been given for a full re-opening.
Zong said that authorities “remain sober" about the possibility of the outbreak rebounding, particularly as reports of new infections continue to come in from centralized isolation centers and older, rundown neighborhoods.
“Citywide, our prevention efforts are still not firmly enough established and it requires all of our continuing hard work and the cooperation of the broad masses of citizens and friends ... to restore the normal running of the city in an orderly fashion," Zong said.
Shanghai's ruthless and frequently chaotic implementation of virus restrictions has sparked protests over the lack of food, medical care, freedom of...
