Shanghai becomes a ghost city for fear of confinement for its 25 million inhabitants

Shanghaione of the most populous cities in the world, took on the air of a ghost town in the face of the threat of confinement for its 25 million inhabitants due to an outbreak of coronavirus covid-19.

Although the number of cases of covid-19 is low compared to other countries, China It is currently facing its most serious outbreak since the beginning of 2020.

SIGHT: The outbreak of coronavirus in China grows: some 30 million people are already quarantined in 13 cities

The country announced almost 5,300 new infections on Tuesday, marking the return of mass testing, lockdowns and travel restrictions.

a symbol of ShanghaiThe Bund Pier on the banks of the Huangpu River, usually packed with visitors, fell silent this week with measures to eradicate local Covid cases.

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Just a handful of masked pedestrians took photos of the landscapeWhile workers were forced to stay home, students took classes online, and restaurants were closed in some districts.

The restrictions on Shanghai They were directed to the areas where there were outbreaks of contagion, instead of the general confinements applied in other Chinese cities.

An official wearing protective gear sits in front of a barrier blocking a street after the detection of new cases of coronavirus in Shanghai on March 15, 2022. (Héctor RETAMAL / AFP)

Still, the local villagers found it difficult to know what to do.

SIGHT: The city of Shenzhen, China’s technological center, confines its 17 million inhabitants due to coronavirus

“They informed us last night that we should suspend (the restaurant service) and we are going to abide by it, otherwise they close us completely”the owner of a restaurant in downtown Shanghai told AFP.

In a neighboring district, another restaurant owner claimed the measures discouraged people from eating out.

“We don’t have many clients these days,” he lamented, noting that there is a lot of anxiety.

in the social network douyinthe Chinese version of TikTok, a woman complained that the ban was announced just as she rented space for a restaurant.

“I’m literally going to cry”he expressed.

Workers in protective clothing close some areas after the detection of new cases of covid-19 coronavirus in Shanghai, China, on March 14, 2022. (Héctor RETAMAL / AFP).

safety suits

On shenzhena southern city of 17.5 million people, has tightened its lockdown, and videos on social media showed people rushing through supermarkets.

Many sites were blocked off with red plastic barriers and long lines formed between the large towers where health workers in safety suits began taking samples for mass COVID-19 testing.

The rigid Chinese controls have enjoyed popular support, while the death toll has been low and, after the chaotic first wave of infections in 2020, life has returned to normal.

“Now I am used to (control measures), we have had them for a long time”Beijing resident Yan Zhiping told AFP. “As long as we protect ourselves well, there will be no problem.”

But the frequency of health restrictions began to exhaust the patience of many and intensified the debate on whether Beijing should adjust its rigid strategy of zero covid, especially in the face of the contagious omicron variant, whose cases have been less severe.

A Shanghai resident complained online that the city did a “bad job”, accusing the government of stopping people from posting negative comments.

“The correct prevention and control of the virus in Shanghai is a joke, an extremely irresponsible joke,” another posted.

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Source: Elcomercio