Coronavirus: Shanghai’s Covid-19 cases drop to lowest in a month, but officials say pandemic still at ‘critical stage’
- The total number of infections reported on Saturday was the lowest since April 5, while symptomatic cases plummeted about 77 per cent to 1,249
- Local officials said the standstill order issued April 15 would be maintained until the number of new infections in ‘unguarded zones’ reaches zero
Shanghai’s new Covid-19 infections hit a near-month low at 9,196 on Saturday, the seventh consecutive day of decreasing cases in the financial capital of mainland China.
There was not a single case in so-called unguarded zones, suggesting that Shanghai has achieved the societal zero-Covid goal, when new cases are limited to people already in quarantine. Easing of restrictions in the city is hinged on this goal.
“Technically, Shanghai has achieved the societal zero-Covid goal, paving the way for the Shanghai government to ramp up business activity,” said Eric Han, senior manager at business advisory firm Suolei. “We predict that some shops and restaurants in the low-risk areas will be allowed to reopen in the coming few days.”
Local officials, however, indicated that they are unlikely to ease restrictions at the moment.
The city’s anti-pandemic work was still “at a critical stage” and the government will continue to tighten restriction measures at the community level, Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai health commission, told a press briefing on Saturday.
The total number of cases reported on Saturday was the lowest since April 5 and was 5.9 per cent lower than the 9,770 on Friday. Cumulative cases since the outbreak was detected in March hit 563,000.