City blocks COVID-19 spread with screening, quarantine
The Yonghui Supermarket in Songjiang District is locked down for quarantine and closed-loop management.
All of Shanghai's locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported since March are the Omicron variant, with mild or no symptoms, the city's health authority said on Saturday.
Shanghai has reported nine local COVID-19 cases and 36 local asymptomatic cases since March 1.
Three sites have been elevated to medium-risk areas, including Putuo District's Shiquan Community Cultural Activity Center on Ningqiang Road, Yonghui Supermarket on Huting Road N. in Songjiang District and the No. 1 building at 3705 Bao'an Highway in Malu Town, Jiading District.
Apart from the first case reported on March 1, a 56-year-old female retiree living in Putuo, all of the other cases were detected during quarantines, which has reduced the risk of transmission to the minimum level, the Shanghai Health Commission said.
However, the origin of the current round of COVID-19 resurgence is still under investigation.
More than 500,000 people citywide have been screened during this round of the outbreak under the collaboration of the health commission, local police, communication authority and big data center.
"Such screening and quarantine are essential measures to block the transmission of the virus, so it is unnecessary to worry or be anxious," an official of the commission said.
Local residents are asked to avoid unnecessary gatherings and crowded places. They must wear masks and keep social distance when going out. People are also encouraged to take the booster shoot of COVID-19 vaccines, which can effectively reduce the symptoms, severe illness and death rate.
The resurgence of the pandemic around the globe, especially in China's neighboring nations, as well as many domestic cases reported across China has increased pressure on Shanghai's COVID-19 prevention effort, the commission said.
If a new local case popped up, local authorities will respond swiftly to restrict areas, recall relevant people, collect environmental samples, disinfect the area to cut off transmission, and control the risk to the minimum level, according to the commission.
