China Covid cases jump; officials say still ‘severe’ in Shanghai

NEW Covid cases in China continued to climb as outbreaks in some regions widened, with authorities in Shanghai saying the situation in the city remains severe. 

The country reported 580 local cases on Saturday (Jul 16), according to the National Health Commission. That is the highest since May 23, and a jump from 450 the day before. New infections in the southern Guangxi autonomous region surged to 244 from 40 the day before, and the number in northwestern Gansu rose to 158 from 113. 

Widespread lockdowns to stem the spread of the virus already cut economic growth to 0.4 per cent in the second quarter as production and logistics activities were interrupted, making Beijing’s target of about 5.5 per cent for the full year increasingly unattainable. The pace of expansion was the lowest since the country was first hit by the coronavirus outbreak 2 years ago. 

The Covid situation in Shanghai remains “relatively severe”, with pressures both from a rebound in local cases and imported ones, Zhao Dandan, deputy head of the city’s health bureau, said on Saturday. Shanghai detected a total of 11 new cases outside quarantine areas since Jul 3, Zhao said. 

The financial hub, which recently emerged from a 2-month lockdown, reported 26 new local Covid cases on Saturday, including 2 confirmed samples and 24 infections without symptoms, the local government said on its official WeChat channel on Sunday. 

The city also added 2 high-risk and 12 medium-risk areas subject to lockdowns, and removed 41 such areas from the list effective July 17, the city government said. 

SEE ALSO

Why China still doesn’t have an mRNA shot

China locks down city of 300,000 over single Covid case

DECODING ASIA

Navigate Asia in
a new global order

Get the insights delivered to your inbox.

New cases in eastern Anhui province and southern Guangdong dropped from the day before, the data showed. BLOOMBERG