Shanghai reported higher Covid-19 cases and deaths on Friday, following five straight daily declines, as the city vows to step up lockdown enforcement to stamp out community spread in China’s worst virus outbreak.

There were 23,370 new local infections reported in the financial hub Friday, compared with 17,629 cases the day before, the Shanghai Health Commission said Saturday morning.

The city is entering its fourth week of strict lockdown since April 1, while people living in the eastern part or neighborhoods with earlier reported cases have been confined to their apartments for even longer. Frustration among residents has been building due to lack of access to food or medical care, moldy government rations, and the location of quarantine centers.

The city reported twelve deaths Friday, one higher than the previous day, bringing total fatalities from the current outbreak to 48. At an average age of 88.2 years old, the people who died Friday all had underlying diseases, the report said.

Disappointing some expectations that restrictions would be gradually eased, the municipal government on Friday said it would adopt nine actions to achieve the goal of “no community spread,” a milestone that’s eluded the city despite weeks of lockdown.

The pledge largely reiterated existing measures in place, with a vow to strictly implement rules like making sure people don’t leave their homes in restricted areas.

Meanwhile, Beijing’s municipal government said late Friday that 14 people had tested positive for Covid-19. The Chinese capital ordered a school shut as officials race to stop the virus spreading, calling the situation “urgent and serious.”

Source:
courtesy of BLOOMBERG

by Bloomberg News

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