23k Covid cases in Shanghai, more cities announce curbs
BEIJING: Shanghai on Saturday reported 3,590 new symptomatic Covid-19 cases, the highest daily increase, and nearly 20,000 asymptomatic infections for April 15 as more big cities in China implemented restrictions on movement and partial lockdowns to contain the Omicrondriven outbreak.
Shanghai continues to be the epicentre of the ongoing outbreak with no sign of the lockdown being eased. Millions in the city remain confined to their homes and in some areas residents have been locked down for over three weeks.
The financial hub’s Covid-19 case tally made up the vast majority of cases on the mainland, which reported 3,867 symptomatic and 20,813 asymptomatic infections for Friday.
As of Friday, the city has recorded over 330,000 infections in this round of outbreak.
China’s central bank on Friday evening cut the amount of cash that banks must hold as reserves, aiming to cushion a sharp slowdown in growth.
“The lingering and widening restrictions highlight broad supply chain disruptions that are seen likely to lead to delays in shipments from companies including Apple,” Reuters reported.
“Due to the slowdown of road transport caused by the Covid-19 outbreaks, a growing number of enterprises in Shanghai and Suzhou are transferring containers by water through a green channel promoted by the Taicang and Shanghai ports,” official news agency Xinhua reported.
The outlook could get worse with more cities like Xian in northwestern China telling its residents on Friday to avoid unnecessary trips outside their residential compounds and encouraging companies to have employees work from home or live at their workplace, following dozens of Covid-19 infections this month.
Omicron-specific jabs cleared for clinical trial Two Covid-19 vaccine candidates developed by units of China National Biotec Group (CNBG) to target the Omicron variant were approved for clinical trials as boosters in Hong Kong, the Sinopharm subsidiary said on Saturday.