2 COVID-19 cases reported, with necessary precautions advised
Shanghai reported two COVID-19 community cases on Friday in the outlying Qingpu District, both residents returning from other provinces.
One confirmed case with mild condition and an asymptomatic case tested abnormal during recent regular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening after returning home from their travels recently.
"The latest round of resurgence is spreading rapidly across a wide range of complicated venues and influencing a large number of people," Shanghaifabu, the city's official WeChat account, said on Friday when replying to an online request about "why there are increasing number of daily cases."
The two cases reported on Friday, a 33-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman, live in Xujing Town of suburban Qingpu, according to the Shanghai Health Commission.
Apart from their accommodations, they had been to restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and a shopping complex in Qingpu and Minhang districts.
As a result, their accommodations and some surrounding areas were designated as medium-risk areas and put under lockdown.
A total of 864 close contacts of the new cases have been traced and put under central quarantine. Among them, 488 have tested negative. About 47,457 related people have been screened, and all tested negative.
Shanghai reported 287 local COVID-19 infections, covering multiple virus transmission chains, from October 1 to 13 amid the new round of resurgence after the weeklong National Day holiday.
"Residents must scan the venue code or receive inspections from the digital sentries, because the risk of community transmission still exists in Shanghai at present," the city's COVID-19 prevention and control authority warned.
Management of local public venues is enhanced, to arrange staff to ask every one entering to scan the code. They should also actively assist the seniors and others with difficulties to use their smartphones, the authority said.
The city has launched mass weekly COVID-19 screenings until November to curb the spread of the coronavirus. PCR tests are being conducted at least twice a week in all districts through November 10.
To curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Yangpu District government announced the suspension of operations of all cultural and entertainment venues, including cinemas, from Friday.
Previously, all public culture and entertainment venues in Changning and Putuo districts were closed from Monday.
The sites included all singing and dancing venues, Internet bars, game centers, chess and poker rooms, and live role-playing shops.