No slackening off despite falling numbers
A citizen strolls along a local street in a protective suit and facial screen.
More than half of Shanghai's recent COVID-19 infections were found in the city's locked-down areas, mainly urban villages and old residential compounds, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.
Shanghai reported a total of 29,742 positive cases between May 1 and 6, including 54.1 percent found during the screening in locked-down areas, 28.8 percent detected among people under central quarantine and 7.7 percent in enclosed key sites.
The rest of less than 10 percent of new cases were found at the city's controlled and precautionary areas as well as in high-risk groups, said Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the commission.
COVID-19 prevention volunteers, community workers and delivery staff are more likely to get infected than other citizens, so they have been under strict prevention and control measures.
Medical staff pose on Shanghai's landmark Bund.
Fewer infections were found in the outlying Jinshan, Fengxian, Songjiang and Qingpu districts as well as downtown Putuo District, according to Zhao. These districts are among the city's seven districts that have basically achieved the zero community transmission goal.
Despite the falling number of infections found in the city recently, its daily infection remains at a high level, so no slackening off could be allowed, Zhao said.
The city will continue its three-area designation and testing to screen out the infections and put them under quarantine in a timely manner, he added.
According to the results of the PCR plus antigen screening, a total of almost 16.86 million local residents, or some 67 percent of Shanghai's total population, are in precautionary areas – communities, villages and businesses without a positive case in the last two weeks.
The number of residents in locked-down areas has fallen to 2.35 million, while 4.03 million people are in controlled areas, Zhao revealed.
Shanghai's daily infection numbers declined to a total of 4,214 on Friday. It reported 13 more COVID-19 deaths on Friday with the casualties having an average age of 83.8 years. All had severe underlying conditions, and only one of them had been vaccinated.
Of COVID-19 patients in local designated and makeshift hospitals, 46 have severe symptoms and 87 are in critical condition.
Meanwhile, 13,289 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals on Friday after making a full recovery.
A child greets a PCR sample collection staff member.
