Shanghai Fights Back Against Asymptomatic Covid-19

Shanghai is moving to halt a rising wave of local symptomless Covid-19 cases, testing tens of thousands of people, delaying dozens of concerts and exhibitions and shutting some public venues.

Shanghai reported 62 domestically transmitted asymptomatic infections for Tuesday, the seventh consecutive day of increases in such cases, official data showed on Wednesday.

That was the highest daily count for the city since China started in late March 2020 to classify symptomless infections separately from confirmed cases. The mega-city of 24.9 million also reported for Tuesday three local cases with confirmed symptoms.

Of the 65 cases, all but one were detected among people already under quarantine as they were close contacts of infected people reported earlier.

Shanghai's latest outbreak is small compared with those in many big cities overseas, and it has yet to impose a blanket travel curb or lockdowns.

Many Chinese cities, including Shanghai, have detected Omicron variants among local infections, but the total number nationwide remains unclear.

Since the latest wave of infections emerged earlier this month, dozens of housing and office compounds in Shanghai have been cordoned off and their occupants told to undergo up to 14-day quarantines.

Many leisure events, such as concerts, exhibitions and tutoring sessions have been delayed or cancelled. Even some retiree dance groups, which are a familiar sight in the city's parks, have been told to stop gathering.

“My happy Friday is gone,” one user on Weibo wrote, after several performances at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre were cancelled.

Including infections in Shanghai, the mainland reported 233 local cases with confirmed symptoms and 322 without symptoms for March 8. Those domestically transmitted cases were found across over 40 cities. (Reuters)