Shanghai claims ‘zero-COVID’ status after six-week lockdown

Shanghai has achieved zero-COVID status, authorities said Tuesday, in a breakthrough that could pave the way for an end to a grueling six-week lockdown in China’s financial capital that has dealt a heavy blow to the economy.

But some 25 million shut-in residents of Shanghai, the epicenter of China’s worst virus outbreak, were unlikely to see an imminent return to normal life, as authorities expanded lockdowns and mobility restrictions in other cities hit by case surges.

“We will push for the resumption of work and production while observing virus prevention measures,” Shanghai official Zhu Jianhao told reporters on Tuesday.

Shanghai’s daily infections have trended below 1,000 cases in recent days with 823 cases confirmed on Monday, or 78% of the national tally but down from above 90% in early May.

Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Shanghai-claims-zero-COVID-status-after-six-week-lockdown