The number of Covid-19 cases in Shanghai has fallen steadily over the past two weeks, the city’s second-highest official said on Friday, as China’s leaders called for resolute adherence to a “dynamic zero-Covid” policy.
Officials said they had brought China’s worst outbreak of Covid-19 under effective control following a month-long lockdown of nearly 25 million people.
Shanghai reported 4,024 new local asymptomatic coronavirus cases on Thursday, down from 4,390 a day earlier. Confirmed symptomatic cases stood at 245, also down from 261 a day earlier. Deaths fell to 12, from 13 a day earlier.
“Currently, our city’s epidemic prevention and control situation is steadily improving, and the epidemic has come under effective control,” vice-mayor Wu Qing told a news conference.
New Infections Decline
The number of new infections in China’s financial hub had been on a “continuous downward trend” since April 22, Wu added.
Wu sounded a note of caution, saying while community transmission has been “effectively curbed” there was a risk of a rebound, and the city would not sway from the “dynamic clearance” strategy.
“We cannot relax, we cannot slack off: persistence is victory,” he said, echoing comments at a meeting of the standing committee of the ruling Communist Party’s Politburo late on Thursday.
The Politburo said China would “fight any comments and actions that distort, doubt or deny” the country’s nationwide Covid-19 response policy, according to state television.
“Clearly, the Chinese government will keep, if not strengthen, its dynamic zero-Covid strategy for a while,” Nomura analysts said in a note.
- Reuters, with additional editing by George Russell.
This report has been updated to include new information.
READ MORE:
Tesla Shanghai at Over 80% of Normal Output – InsideEVs
Citizens Etch Shanghai Covid Lockdown Memories as NFTs
Scepticism Over Shanghai Death Tally and Covid Data
