Two of China’s biggest cities impose strict COVID measures as cases accelerate

Two of mainland China’s biggest cities, Shenzhen and Shanghai, have imposed strict COVID-19 measures amid a recent spike in virus cases, The New York Times reported. 

In an announcement on Sunday, Shenzhen officials imposed a lockdown for seven days — nonessential workers are ordered to stay home, adults must undergo three P.C.R. tests in the coming days, and buses and train services are being halted.

Shenzhen officials also said that local supermarkets, farmers’ markets, pharmacies, medical institutions, and express delivery services will remain open during the lockdown, according to the Times.

Shanghai announced similar restrictions as the city reported 65 new virus cases on Sunday, though it has not entered a complete lockdown. Instead, all residents are barred from leaving the city unless it is necessary to do so and must have a negative P.C.R. test as well. 

Shanghai’s Disneyland also announced it is halting all of its theater shows and is requiring visitors to show negative results from a P.C.R. test taken in the preceding 24 hours, the Times reported. 

This comes as China’s National Health Commission reported 3,122 new virus cases on Sunday, a rise from previous totals from 1,524 on Saturday and 1,100 on Friday, though still well below surges in other countries. 

According to Johns Hopkins University, the average number of new virus cases has reached 1,370 per day in China over the past week.