Shanghai Imposes Two-Stage Lockdown due to COVID

Shanghai Government announced Sunday the imposition of a two-stage lockdown to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The government mentioned the largest Chinese city will close its eastern half for examination over a period of five days, starting from Monday, which will be followed by a similar lockdown in its west, starting from the first of April.

Although the number of infections recently is still small relative to the numbers recorded around the world, it is the highest in China since the first weeks of the epidemic, which first appeared in Wuhan in late 2019.

On Sunday, the Chinese National Health Commission recorded new 4,500 Corona cases caused by local infection, which is more than a thousand cases less than the previous day, but much higher than the decimal numbers that were recorded over the past two years.

Millions of residents in the affected areas of the country were subjected to lockdown measures imposed on entire cities, but Shanghai has been spared a complete lockdown so far.

While officials indicated the need to keep the city in eastern China, which is a financial center and includes a port, open for national and global economics.

The eastern half of Shanghai, known as "Pudong", where the main international airport and the financial district are located, will be closed from Monday morning until April 1 for residents to be tested.

On April 1, the western half of the city, known as "Puxi" will be subject to a five-day lockdown, according to the government.

The announcement said that buses, taxis, and the city's vast underground network would be suspended during the lockdown. It did not mention any repercussions for air travel or train service to and from the city.

Contributed by Israa Farhan