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Omicron: Shanghai hit by record surge in cases as China stands by zero-Covid approach to outbreaks
- China reports 37,000 local infections this month driven by the Omicron variant, with experts describing mostly mild cases
- Head of the expert Covid-19 panel defends China’s continuing tough approach, saying it saved the country from a sharp spike in cases
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China’s financial hub Shanghai reported a record surge in daily local Covid-19 infections on Monday amid the country’s determined efforts to contain growing outbreaks despite the “mild symptoms” reported.
Shanghai reported 24 new domestically-transmitted Covid-19 cases with confirmed symptoms on Monday and a further 734 local asymptomatic infections, which Wu Jinglei, director of Shanghai Health Commission, attributed to rounds of mass screening in the city last week.
“Shanghai is standing the test of a severe epidemic,” Wu said, referring to the mass testing carried out from last Wednesday to Sunday.
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In response to the health crisis, the Shanghai Disney Resort will close from Monday until further notice.
02:13
Shanghai fighting its worst Covid-19 outbreak since start of the pandemic
Shanghai fighting its worst Covid-19 outbreak since start of the pandemic
Across mainland China, 1,947 new locally transmitted cases and a further 2,384 infections without symptoms were reported on Monday, continuing the run of high infection rates. China has reported more than 37,000 local infections this month. The total for the pandemic until February was slightly more than 100,000 cases.
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