Chinese On First COVID-19 Lockdown In 2022
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Major citizens in China are experiencing a major COVID-19 lockdown in 2022. This is as a result of the massive records of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, agency news reports.
At least seventeen million people in Chinese tech hub Shenzhen commenced a full day lockdown on Monday, March 14.
Similarly, Shanghai, China’s largest city shut down most businesses on Monday. Several cities are taking precautions to avoid total lockdown.
This effort is targeted at maintaining China’s zero-tolerance COVID-19 strategy, the AFP reported.
Measure to combat the surge of Omicron cases in the Southern city commenced on Sunday.
It was gathered that factories and areas linked to Hong Kong had a surge of pandemics.
Health agencies reported that Hong Kong records scores of daily COVID-19 related deaths. Most deaths are linked with the Omicron variant.
Shenzen pioneered the stay-at-home order out of 10 other areas.
There are concerns by health officials about China sustaining the “zero-covid” approach in 2022. Especially because the Omicron variant is highly transmissible.
So far, health authorities recorded about 2,300 new viruses on Monday. On Sunday, they recorded 3,400 cases which is the highest daily record in two years.
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Speaking at Monday briefing, a Shenzhen city official identified as Huang Qiang, said:
“There have been many small-scale clusters in urban villages and factories,
“This suggests a high risk of community spread, and further precautions are still needed.”
According to a photo by a Shenzhen resident, there were barricades to several houses.
Residents took to social media to joke about housing compounds blocked by large plastic barriers.
There were also jokes about residents rushing to grab their laptops from offices before the lockdown.
Tensions rose as Tech stock nose-dived on the Hong Kong exchange earlier on Monday. Observers raised concerns over the virus spread in Shenzhen home to tech giants.
Shenzhen is the:
Business hub for iPhone maker Foxconn.
Huawei.
Tencent.
To avoid a full lockdown, China’s largest city, Shanghai has been proactive. The city recorded about 170 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
The sealing of companies was aimed at controlling the spread of the disease and preventing a full lockdown.
However, the large number of cases have planted the economic pain ahead for businesses.
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A restaurant entrepreneur with four outlets frowned at the lockdown. He laments how hyper-local restrictions have affected the pandemic.
“Different districts adopt different policies,” he told AFP, requesting anonymity.
“I want to close one and keep the rest open and see how it goes later. What else can I do except to tough it out?”
Source: PUNCH Health Wise
