SHENZHEN: China’s southern megacity of Shenzhen vowed to “mobilise all resources” to curb a slowly spreading Covid-19 outbreak, ordering strict implementation of testing and temperature checks, and lockdowns for Covid-affected buildings.
Shenzhen, with a population of nearly 18 million, reported 22 new locally transmitted cases for Wednesday, with the daily count creeping up from single digits earlier this month.
Though the caseload is still negligible by global standards, the slow uptick has pushed Shenzhen authorities to step up vigilance, to comply with the central government’s “dynamic zero” policy of containing outbreaks as soon as they emerge.
Shenzhen has not ordered blanket closure of businesses or tough curbs on people’s movement but has sealed residential compounds and buildings identified as being at higher risk. Officials have been told to make their virus measures more targeted to avoid unnecessary disruption to the economy. Meng Fanli, head of the city’s Communist Party, said Shenzhen will “mobilise all resources and adopt all measures to quickly eliminate the risk of a community spread in key areas, resolutely cut transmission chains, and contain the outbreak as quickly as possible.”
In a statement published late on Wednesday, Meng also warned that the city government would sternly hold accountable officials responsible for any negligence that results in the virus spreading.
Out of Wednesday’s 22 local infections, 13 were found in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district, home to tech giants Tencent and DJI.
In March, when caseloads started to increase from the low double-digits, Shenzhen adopted one week of so-called “slow living”, during which residents underwent multiple rounds of testing and largely stayed at home, with one member of each household allowed out every few days for necessities.— Reuters
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