Most areas are locked in an 18 million tech hub Mass testing, suspension of transport takes effect In Chengdu, schools will be closed from Monday
SHENZHEN, China, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Most residents of China’s tech hub Shenzhen went into weekend lockdown on Saturday as mass testing for COVID-19 began across much of the city of 18 million. The lockdown and suspension of bus and subway services came into effect two days after city officials said lockdown rumors were based on a “misinterpretation” of the latest COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Residents in six districts representing the majority of the city’s population will be tested twice over the weekend, helping to “minimize the impact on people’s work lives,” the city government said in a statement posted Saturday on its official account on WeChat. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “Netizens agreed, leaving comments that strengthening epidemic prevention and control on weekends in some areas of Shenzhen is the fastest and most effective way to break the chain of transmission of the virus.” Areas in the six major regions classified as “high-risk areas” will remain in lockdown for seven days, with the possibility of an extension if more positive cases are found, according to a Reuters review of announcements by regional authorities published between Thursday and Saturday. Lin Hancheng, a Shenzhen public health official, told a press conference on Saturday that residents should stay at home as much as possible and avoid gatherings. He did not say how many people were affected by the restrictions. One person from each household will be allowed out of the compound once every two days to buy food, medicine and basic necessities, the six districts said. The restrictions followed state media reports on Thursday, citing city health authorities that announcements of new COVID-19 measures had been “misinterpreted” as a lockdown, urging residents to “work and live without worry”. In the city’s Futian district, Candice, a 28-year-old who works in a headhunting business, expressed her frustration at the latest lockdown measures. “The fear of going places, the constant interruption of work, must be worse than the virus itself,” she said, declining to give her full name. Officials reported 87 new locally transmitted cases of COVID in Shenzhen for Friday, the same as a day earlier. Seven of the new cases were outside quarantine areas.
‘COVID ZERO’
Medics in protective suits collect swabs from residents at a residential complex in Nanshan district, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, September 3, 2022. REUTERS/David Kirton read more Shenzhen’s new measures reflect China’s strict adherence to a policy of “zero COVID potential” to eliminate any outbreak. In the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, which put its 21 million residents on lockdown on Thursday, officials announced the suspension of in-person tutoring for primary and secondary schools from Monday. A Foxconn factory in the city that makes Apple’s iPads was operating normally as of Friday night, according to a statement sent to Reuters on Saturday. US chipmaker Intel Corp has taken “precautionary measures” at a chip factory it operates in Chengdu in response to the outbreak, a spokesman told Reuters. Meanwhile, social media platforms such as Weibo were flooded with angry comments late Friday, as Chengdu residents undergoing mandatory COVID-19 testing complained of long lines and waiting times due to a malfunction in the city’s IT system. Chengdu city authorities on Saturday announced a slight relaxation of the city’s current quarantine regime, which includes working from home and daily mass testing until Sunday. Residents with a negative COVID test in the last 48 hours can now leave their premises, use public transport and enter hospitals. The city reported 155 new local cases for Friday, up from 150 the previous day. The coronavirus restrictions have weighed heavily on the city’s residents. Sophia Li, who runs a homestay business, said she used to earn 12,000-20,000 yuan ($1,700-$2,900) a month during the peak tourist season, but her earnings have since dropped. “With the current lockdown, there is literally no income,” he said. “And I’m not alone, many self-employed people have come under increasing financial pressure.” ($1 = 6.8985 Chinese Yuan Renminbi) Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by David Kirton in Shenzhen Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard, Josh Horwitz and Siyi Liu Writing by Eduardo Baptista Editing by Helen Popper Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
