The announcement by CEO Carrie Lam on Saturday came as the southern Chinese city struggles to contain a fifth wave of infections that has led to mixed messages about trials and lockdowns. Lam said a “mandatory, universal test” for the entire population was still needed, but did not say when that might happen. Authorities withdrew the idea after an earlier announcement caused panic in the markets. The prospect of further school closures and other disruptions has been caught between calls for easing restrictions and Beijing’s demand for an extreme “zero COVID” approach that requires lockdowns and mass trials.
The wave is decreasing
Hong Kong on Friday lifted a ban on returning Hong Kong residents to flights from nine countries where COVID-19 cases have increased, including Britain and the United States. Hong Kong said another 5,820 cases were detected on Friday as the latest increase began to decline. In northern Shanghai, meanwhile, authorities are struggling to meet lockdown requirements for many of the city’s 26 million residents – the largest such venture by China since the virus was first detected in central Wuhan in end of 2019. Shanghai is implementing a two-stage, eight-day lockdown, but many of those on the east, or Pudong, side of the city that should have been free to leave on Friday, have remained isolated. Authorities, meanwhile, have isolated the other half of the city, Puxi, with non-core businesses and public transport halted and roads cleared of cars and people. A total of 14 million Puxi residents were tested on Friday, according to state media. Isolated residents complained of difficulty obtaining food, household items and medicine, while beds and staff in isolation centers were insufficient for the number of asymptomatic patients and others being transported there for follow-up. China identified 2,086 confirmed cases on Saturday, including 260 in Shanghai and 7,789 asymptomatic cases, of which 6,051 were in Shanghai. The total number of new cases has been close to record highs for several days.
