Opinion | H7N9 outbreak may be over, but pall of suspicion hangs over Shanghai
Officials' poor response to bird flu outbreak and food safety leaves residents wary of assurances
No new cases of H7N9 bird flu have been confirmed in Shanghai since the middle of last month, but many residents are still worried about eating chicken and pork.
Cold-processed poultry meat has now been allowed back on the market following the removal of an alert and many Shanghai residents believe live poultry markets will reopen soon.
But the shadow of the H7N9 outbreak, which began in March and saw 132 mainlanders infected, 37 of whom died, hangs heavy over the city.
Shortly before the first confirmed case of H7N9 in Shanghai, more than 10,000 dead pigs from the neighbouring city of Jiaxing , in Zhejiang province, floated down Shanghai's Huangpu River.
Shanghai residents say they would rather avoid chicken and pork until the city government gives them some clear answers.
"The officials are supposed to tell the people which foods are now safe to eat," resident Wan Li said. "We need to be alert because it seems a deadly new virus could be found at any time."