Shanghai sees improving epidemic situation; youth thanked for anti- COVID efforts

Shanghai has seen a stable and improving epidemic situation with the daily tally of new COVID- 19 infections dropping below 5,000 for the first time on Tuesday and two- thirds of the city’s population now outside quarantine.

On Wednesday, which marked China’s Youth Day, local authorities thanked local young people who have been striving for the decisive battle against COVID- 19.

Shanghai registered a total of 4,982 new infections on Tuesday after daily new cases remained below 10,000 for seven days in a row, which indicated a stable and improving epidemic situation, and also showed that the dynamic zero-COVID policy is exerting a positive effect on the situation, said the city’s health authority.

After the first day of zero new infections outside quarantine was recorded on Saturday, the number of new infections discovered among at- risk people totaled 192 over the past three days, accounting for 1.07 percent of the total new infections registered over the past three days, Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, said on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, the population in precaution zones had expanded to 15.78 million, which was two times the population in lockdown and under control that had narrowed to 7.58 million, according to Zhao, who noted that the effects of epidemic prevention and control have become increasingly visible with the combination of antigen and nucleic acid screening, as well as other prevention measures.

Apart from veteran medical workers and other personnel at the frontier of the fight against COVID- 19, the youth have played an active role in the latest Shanghai outbreak with numerous young people working around- the- clock at their positions or serving as volunteers.

On Wednesday, in a letter addressing the young people, Shanghai Party Chief Li Qiang encouraged the youth at the frontier to strive for success and win the decisive anti- virus battle resolutely.