Shanghai's New Covid Cases Continue To Drop

The number of new Covid-19 cases in Shanghai on Tuesday continued to fall for the fourth straight day, even though the city still accounted for the bulk of infections nationwide.

Shanghai reported 13,562 cases for the day – a 20 percent drop from the previous day. They included 1,606 locally transmitted symptomatic infections and 11,956 that were asymptomatic.

"Ever since we kicked off the [zero-Covid] campaign, we have generated some marked results. But still, we are at a critical moment," said Zhao Dandan from the Shanghai Health Commission.

"To further eradicate the cases and have a dynamic zero case scenario, we must have categorised measures and take collective efforts. And to that end, we will minimise gathering activities, we will continue to have the static management of this whole region, mass nucleic acid testing, comprehensive disinfection, to find any loophole."

The city reported 48 Covid-related deaths for the day, down from 52 on Tuesday. All of the victims were chronically ill, and the oldest was 99.

Mass Covid testing in Beijing found 34 more infections - 31 symptomatic and three asymptomatic - the highest total in this wave of outbreak.

In total, the National Health Commission reported 1,818 local symptomatic cases and 12,404 asymptomatic infections.