Shanghai steps up quarantine transfers as new Covid-19 cases decline

Shanghai found 550 cases outside the quarantine zones, down from 561 the day before and the fourth consecutive decline, reported Reuters. 

Shanghai: Shanghai authorities on Tuesday (April 19, 2022) pleaded for public cooperation with a massive new push to test most of the population for COVID-19 as the city steps up efforts to bring community transmission down to zero after nearly three weeks of lockdown.

The plea came as some people refused to join PCR testing queues out of weariness after weeks of such requirements, or fear it puts them at greater risk of infection.

Residents shared stories on social media about busloads of people being taken from their homes and sent into quarantine, including babies and the elderly.

Authorities are under pressure from Beijing to speed up transfers of positive cases and their close contacts to quarantine centres, fueling angst in the community about draconian measures designed to completely stop the spread of the virus rather than just slow it down.

"By conducting multiple, consecutive rounds of PCR testing we will be able to dynamically detect positive cases as early as possible, as this will help us to reach zero-COVID at community level more quickly," city health official Hu Xiaobo said.