Millions in Beijing urged to work from home to fight Covid
BEIJING: The streets of Beijing’s business district were deserted on Thursday as the government called for people to return to work remotely, with scores of subway stations shut after a national holiday muted by coronavirus curbs. Beijing reported 50 local cases on Thursday, a day after it said people in Chaoyang, its most populous district, should work from home.
Those among the district’s 3.5 million residents who needed to visit their offices were encouraged to drive themselves and avoid gatherings.
At least one other Beijing district has also encouraged residents to work from home, while dozens of subway stations across the capital remained closed. Open restaurants offer only takeaway. “Residents can accept the situation now,” Zhan Jun, a man living in Chaoyang, told AFP. But “if things are like in Shanghai... if it’s too severe, things will sound different.”
13 more die in Shanghai
Shanghai - epicentre of the latest outbreak - reported more than 4,600 mostly asymptomatic infections on Thursday and 13 more deaths. Dozens of Chinese cities were implementing full or partial lockdowns, or measures restricting mobility as of May 3, analysts from Nomura said.
The economic impact of the stringent measures has started to weigh, with independent data on Thursday showing that activity in China’s services sector slumped in April to its secondlowest level on record.
Blinken tests positive
The US state department said on Wednesday that secretary of state Antony Blinken has tested positive for Covid-19 after attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and related events over the weekend.
Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken tested positive in a PCR test. Price said Blinken is fully vaccinated and is experiencing only mild symptoms.
Blinken tested negative on Tuesday and again earlier on Wednesday morning with antigen tests but took the PCR test after developing symptoms. Blinken has not met in person with President Joe Biden for “several days” and is not considered a close contact of the president, according to the White House and state department.