Community infections see rebound amid more screening
Shanghai’s COVID-19 infections found during the community screening grew to 73 on Monday, while the total number of daily infections kept dropping by over 20 percent to 5,669.
The “screening among highrisk groups” covers people in controlled areas, precautionary areas, those who go to fever clinics themselves and who go for polymerase chain reaction test themselves.
The city’s primary target of “zero community transmission” was achieved on Friday and Saturday, but rebounded a bit from Sunday amid the new round of PCR and antigen testing through Saturday.
A total of 15.47 million Shanghai citizens, or some 60 percent of the city’s total population, are now within the precautionary areas, or the communities, villages, companies or sites without a positive case in the last two weeks.
The number of residents in the locked-down areas has reduced to 2.54 million, while 5.38 million citizens are living within the controlled area, said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Commission.
Citizens within the precautionary areas in suburban districts (Fengxian, Jinshan, Chongming, Qingpu and Songjiang) that basically achieved the “zero community transmission” are allowed to move around within the districts. They can go to reopened supermarkets, drugstores and hospitals. Public transport will be gradually restored, while private cars can also be driven in limited areas.
Residents in the precautionary areas in downtown districts (Putuo and five
towns in the Pudong New Area) that have basically achieved the goal are allowed to move or drive around within their subdistricts or towns and go to designated supermarkets and drugstores.
In other downtown districts that have yet to achieve the goal (Huangpu, Jing’an, Xuhui, Changning, Hongkou, Yangpu, Baoshan and Minhang), residents in the precautionary areas are only allowed to move around within residential compounds. One member of each household will be allowed to shop at supermarkets or drugstores and with a limited time twice every week.
Residents must show their negative reports of either antigen self-testing made within a day or PCR test made within two days along with their health code to enter the markets and stores.
The regulations remain the same for those within the locked-down and controlled areas. Residents are asked to remain at home in the locked-down areas, and are only allowed to pick up deliveries at the residential compounds in the controlled areas.
Shanghai reported 20 COVID-19 deaths yesterday — 12 fewer than Monday. Their average age was 83.95 years. All had severe underlying conditions such as advanced cancers. Only one of them had been vaccinated.
Of the COVID-19 patients, 488 have severe symptoms and 88 are in critical condition.
Meanwhile, 31,102 COVID19 patients were discharged from local designated and makeshift hospitals on Monday after making a full recovery.
Recovered COVID-19 patients must undergo a weeklong home quarantine after being discharged, with twice temperature check every day and a PCR test on the seventh day, said Zhao.
During home quarantine, they are asked to stay at home, live in a separate room alone and keep distance with people living together. They must report to the community immediately after showing symptoms like fever and cough.
Strict disinfection measures are taken on items belonging to recovered patients before they are discharged, Zhao noted.
Meanwhile, some 100 additional ambulances along with 298 rescue medics have arrived in Shanghai from north Tianjin City and central Henan Province to meet the rising demand of emergency calls from local residents amid the pandemic, which has increased by 12 times every day.
Most of the medics have taken part in COVID-19 resurgence and are fully experience. They are based at local COVID-19 makeshift and designated hospitals as well as on stand-by to serve local communities.