Covid-19 in China: Opposing emotions in Shanghai and Beijing

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) cited official data published on April 27 showing that Shanghai – China reported 20.1% lower number of Covid-19 cases than a day earlier. This is the fourth day in a row that the number of Covid-19 cases per day in Shanghai has decreased.

Specifically, on April 27, Shanghai added 13,562 Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the lowest since April 4. The number of symptomatic cases decreased by 3.3% to 1,606%, while 48 patients died. From March 1 to now, Shanghai has recorded a total of 534,000 cases of Covid-19. The city is shifting its focus to risk control at quarantined locations to prevent the virus from spilling into the community, according to Mayor Gong Zheng.

Shanghai Health Commission deputy director Zhao Dandan said at a briefing on April 27 that the city would allow people in districts without the spread of Covid-19 to “travel in a limited manner”. Alipay, the “all-in-one” mobile payment app, also added a new function that allows Shanghai residents to upload their return to work and entry permits.

A child is tested for Covid-19 in Fengtai district, Beijing on April 26. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

Real estate services firm JLL predicts Shanghai will ease Covid-19 restrictions in May or early June to help businesses speed up production. Last week, Shanghai “green light” for 666 manufacturers including Tesla Corporation and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) to resume closed production operations, in which workers will sleep at or near work to ensure no contact with outsiders.

In the Chinese capital Beijing, a mass test led to the detection of 34 Covid-19 cases on April 26, the highest since the Omicron variant appeared here on April 22. Beijing health authorities ordered mass Covid-19 testing in 10 districts of the capital after finding “latent” Covid-19 cases in the past week.

The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Beijing has raised concerns that the political center may be locked down – a measure that has never been imposed before. Chaoyang district, east of Beijing, has been under lockdown since April 25, but so far the Chinese capital has only implemented some travel restrictions in high-risk areas.