The majority of Shanghai ends the Covid-19 spread

Key Takeaways:

• Vice Mayor Zong Ming announced that viral transmission had been abolished in 15 of Shanghai's 16 districts among those who had not previously been quarantined.
• For more than 50 days, many residents have been confined to their houses, complexes, and communities. The full reopening date has been set for June 1.
• There were 1,159 cases of sickness in China, the vast majority of which occurred in Shanghai. A staggering 80% of infections were asymptomatic.

As the city progresses toward reopening and economic data shows the bleak impact of China's "zero-COVID" policy, authorities claimed Monday that most of Shanghai have halted the spread of the coronavirus within the community and that less than 1 million people remain under severe lockdown.

Vice Mayor Zong Ming stated that 15 of Shanghai's 16 districts had eradicated viral transmission among people who were not previously quarantined.

"Our city's epidemic is effectively under control." "Prevention measures have had some success," Zong remarked during a press conference.

Supermarkets, shops, and restaurants were permitted to reopen on Monday with crowd control and "no-touch" transactions. However, travel restrictions remain in effect, and the metro train system stayed closed for the time being.

Even as case counts decline, city and national officials have sent conflicting messages about the outbreak's status and when life in Shanghai's 25 million citizens can return to normal. Many residents have been confined to their homes, compounds, and neighborhoods for more than 50 days. The date for the full reopening has been set for June 1.

Authorities, according to Zong, "remain cautious" about the prospect of the outbreak resuming, especially as new infections continue to be reported from centralized isolation centers and older, impoverished districts.

"Our citywide preventative measures are still not firmly enough established, and it will need all of our continued hard work, as well as the collaboration of the broad masses of citizens and friends... to restore the normal and orderly running of the city, "Zong explained.

The relentless and often haphazard execution of viral restrictions in Shanghai has caused demonstrations about a lack of food, medical treatment, freedom of travel, and already severely restricted privacy rights.

Despite this, China has dismissed any "zero-COVID" criticisms "from the World Health Organization. "Any attempts to distort, dispute, or discredit China's anti-COVID policy will be vigorously opposed," the ruling Communist Party declares.

On Monday, China recorded 1,159 instances of illness, the great majority of which were in Shanghai. Almost 80% of the infections were asymptomatic.

There were 54 cases recorded in Beijing, where a much smaller outbreak prompted widespread testing as well as a building-by-building shutdown. Authorities have ordered that individuals work from home, that schools be transferred online, and that businesses in the capital only serve take-out.

China's tight restrictions have wreaked havoc on jobs, supply networks, and the economy, with statistics released Monday showing that manufacturing and consumer activity in April was considerably lower than predicted.

Retail sales fell 11.1 percent while manufacturing output fell 2.9 percent; as factories closed, those that remained open with on-site staff were forced to cut production due to component shortages.

According to Fu Linghui, head of statistics for the National Bureau of Statistics, about half of Shanghai's 9,000 largest industrial businesses are back at work after controls that shut down the city in late March eased.

According to private-sector economists, China's economic growth might be as low as 2% this year, significantly below the ruling party's aim of 5.5 percent and last year's 8.1 percent raise.

Despite this, the ruling party's approach to the pandemic is still driven by politics. Party leaders stated after a May 5 meeting that limiting outbreaks would take priority over the economy as they prepare for a major conclave later this year.