#Shanghai disinfects homes, closes all subways in COVID fight

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“Shanghai disinfects homes, closes all subways in COVID fight”

Teams in white protective suits are entering the homes of coronavirus-infected people to spray disinfectant as Shanghai tries to root out an omicron outbreak under China’s strict “zero-COVID” strategy.

City official Jin Chen said Tuesday that in older communities with shared bathrooms and kitchens, the homes of anyone else who uses those facilities will also be disinfected. He tried to address public concern about damage to clothing and valuables, saying residents can inform the teams about anything that needs protection.

Shanghai also suspended service on the last two subway lines that were still operating Tuesday, marking the first time the city’s entire system has been shut down, according to The Paper, an online media outlet.

The latest measures come as Shanghai has ordered people in some districts to stay in their homes again after letting some out for limited shopping in recent weeks. The latest steps have further frustrated residents, who were hoping a more than monthlong lockdown was finally easing as the number of new cases in the city falls.

Most of the city of 25 million people appear confined to their apartments or residential complexes, though there has been some easing in outlying suburban areas without new cases in their communities. AP video shot Monday showed a silent and deserted city, with only a very occasional vehicle and a few food delivery drivers on scooters moving down empty roads.

A delivery man past through the entrance to a community on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
A delivery man waits in a quiet mall area with closed retail shops and restaurants only offering takeaway on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
A chef sits outside a row of restaurants closed to dine in customers and only offering takeaway on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
A man tries to enter a restaurant that’s closed to dine-in customers and only providing take out orders on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
People wearing face masks ride across an intersection in the central business district of Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Teams in white protective suits are going into the homes of infected people to spray them with disinfectant as Shanghai tries to root out an omicron outbreak under China’s strict “zero-COVID” strategy. Beijing, the capital, began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A man wearing a mask walks past a mall that’s been ordered to close on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
Visitors look out from a balcony in a quiet mall area with closed retail shops and restaurants only offering takeaway on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
A woman wearing a face mask stands near a closed subway station in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A man wears a respirator as he rides along a street in the central business district in Beijing, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A woman wearing a face mask rides along a street in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A person wearing a face mask rides along a street in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. Teams in white protective suits are going into the homes of infected people to spray them with disinfectant as Shanghai tries to root out an omicron outbreak under China’s strict “zero-COVID” strategy. Beijing, the capital, began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Residents wearing masks line up for mass Covid testing on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Beijing. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
A man wearing a face mask walks across a pedestrian bridge in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A man wearing a face mask walks past lines of unused share bicycles near a closed subway station in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
A person wearing a face mask rides across an intersection in the central business district in Beijing during what is normally the morning rush hour, as most nonessential workers in the district have been ordered to work from home, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. China’s capital began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

The daily number of new cases in Shanghai fell to about 3,000 on Monday, down from a peak of 26,000 in mid-April. Authorities have kept most of the city bottled up as they try to stop the spread of the virus, even as many other parts of the world are loosening restrictions and trying to live with it. Six more COVID-related deaths were reported in China’s largest city, raising the toll from the outbreak to 553.

Beijing, the capital, began another round of three days of mass testing for millions of its residents Tuesday in a bid to prevent an outbreak from growing to Shanghai proportions. The city, which recorded 74 new cases on Monday, has locked down individual buildings and residential compounds, shut about 60 subway stations and banned dining at restaurants, allowing only takeout and delivery.

Shanghai initially ordered mass testing along with a limited lockdown, but extended that as case numbers rose. Thousands of residents have been forced into centralized quarantine centers after testing positive or having been in contact with an infected person.

Notices issued in several districts in recent days said residents were ordered to stay home and barred from receiving nonessential deliveries as part of a “quiet period” lasting at least until Wednesday. The measures could be extended depending on the results of mass testing, the notices said. The sudden tightening, after some initial opening up, took residents by surprise.

Shanghai tightens lockdown despite falling COVID cases

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Shanghai disinfects homes, closes all subways in COVID fight (2022, May 10)
retrieved 10 May 2022
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