Authorities in China's financial centre of Shanghai will start easing lockdown in some areas, despite reporting a record of more than 25,000 new COVID infections, as they strive to get the city moving again after more than two weeks
Pressure has been mounting on authorities in China's most populous city, and one of its wealthiest, from residents growing increasingly frustrated as curbs drag on, leaving some struggling to find enough food and medicine.
Gu said Shanghai was divided into 7,624 areas that are still sealed off, with a group of 2,460 now subject to "controls" after a week of no new infections, and 7,565 "prevention areas" to be opened up after two weeks without a positive case. "I think this is the Shanghai government admitting it cannot continue locking down while ensuring that its citizens don't starve to death," said a Weibo user, posting under the name Ruan Yi.
The policy has halted nearly all international travel, and is taking a growing economic toll as cities impose curbs, with southern Guangzhou and eastern Ningbo the latest to do so, even as other countries try to live with the disease.