# Shanghai expands COVID lockdown as new daily cases surge by a third Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-03-30 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Shanghai Lockdown: New COVID Surge Sparks Economic Concerns Meta Description: Authorities in Shanghai implemented early lockdown measures as new COVID-19 cases surge by a third in the populous city, causing disruptions in daily life and URL: https://financedigest.com/shanghai-expands-covid-lockdown-as-new-daily-cases-surge-by-a-thirdhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-03-30t052359z1lynxnpei2t06prtroptp4health-coronavirus-china-1736815916309-compressed.jpg) By Brenda Goh and Roxanne Liu SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Authorities began locking down some western areas of [Shanghai](https://www.financedigest.com/syngenta-ditches-multi-billion-dollar-china-ipo-bid.html) two days ahead of schedule, as new COVID-19 cases in China’s most populous city jumped by a third despite stringent measures already in place to try to stop the virus spreading. Home to 26 million people, China’s financial hub is in the third day of a [lockdown](https://www.financedigest.com/a-uk-covid-lockdown-would-be-wrong-right-now-business-minister-says.html) officials are imposing by dividing the city roughly along the Huangpu River, splitting the historic centre west of the river from the eastern financial and industrial district of Pudong to allow for staggered mass tests. While residents in the east have been locked down since Monday, those in the west were previously scheduled to start their four-day [lockdown on Friday](https://www.financedigest.com/lockdown-2020-black-friday-how-to-maximise-return.html "Lockdown 2020 Black Friday – How to maximise return"). Locking down a major metropolis like Shanghai full-scale would result in a 4% reduction in the national real gross domestic product, economists at the Chinese University of [Hong Kong](https://www.financedigest.com/citadel-accelerates-hiring-push-in-hong-kong-and-london.html "Citadel accelerates hiring push in Hong Kong and London"), Tsinghua University and other institutes estimated https://michaelzsong.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/1/4/48141215/truck\_flow\_and\_covid19\_220315.pdf in mid-March. On Wednesday [Shanghai reported a record 5,656 asymptomatic COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/in-shanghai-lockdown-blues-make-way-for-covid-testing-gripes.html "In Shanghai, lockdown blues make way for COVID testing gripes") cases and 326 symptomatic cases for March 29, up from 4,381 new asymptomatic cases and 96 new cases with symptoms for the prior day. [China reclassifies asymptomatic cases if and when they later develop](https://www.financedigest.com/china-most-promising-source-of-funds-for-overseas-developers-reveals-investorist.html "China ‘most promising source of funds’ for overseas developers, reveals Investorist") symptoms. Several residents [living in western districts on Tuesday received notice from their housing committees that they would be stopped from leaving their compounds for the next seven days](https://www.financedigest.com/pensions-awareness-day-could-you-get-by-on-less-than-living-wage.html "Pensions Awareness Day: Could you get by on less than living wage? "). We will resume normal life soon, but in the [next period of time we ask everyone to adhere closely to pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/living-with-covid-where-the-pandemic-could-go-next.html "‘Living with COVID’: Where the pandemic could go next") control measures, do not gather, and reduce movements,” said one housing committee notice seen by Reuters. Meanwhile the city’s southwestern district of Minhang, home to more than 2.5 million people, said it would suspend [public bus services](https://www.financedigest.com/the-new-fangled-normal-of-working-from-home-to-push-the-public-cloud-service-market.html "The “New-Fangled” Normal of “Working from Home” to Push the Public Cloud Service Market") until April 5. Shanghai authorities told a [press conference](https://www.financedigest.com/5-top-tips-when-holding-a-crisis-press-conference.html "5 Top Tips When Holding a Crisis Press Conference") on Wednesday that since the lockdown began on Monday they had conducted 9.1 million nucleic acid tests. They also said they planned to disinfect places such as [office buildings](https://www.financedigest.com/ireland-to-turn-heat-down-in-public-buildings-shut-empty-office-floors.html "Ireland to turn heat down in public buildings, shut empty office floors"), construction sites, wet markets and schools in a month-long campaign. ‘PUDONG PANDEMIC’ China’s “dynamic clearance” approach means it aims to clear all cases, and all people who [test positive](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-has-mild-symptoms-taking-paxlovid-treatment.html "Biden tests positive for COVID, has mild symptoms, taking Paxlovid treatment") are sent to central quarantine centres or hospitals. Close contacts and neighbours must quarantine at home. Many across the city have taken to [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/saudi-snitching-app-turns-citizens-into-social-media-police.html "Saudi snitching app turns citizens into social media police") to vent their frustrations in lockdown, posting videos and images of crowded quarantine centres and also issuing calls for help with medical treatment and purchasing food. [Business life](https://www.financedigest.com/fears-of-two-year-shelf-life-has-businesses-struggling-to-innovate.html "Fears of two-year shelf life has businesses struggling to innovate") has also been seriously disrupted. The lockdown has roiled auto production in the [city and Chinese firms have halted](https://www.financedigest.com/citi-halted-financing-for-trafiguras-nickel-deals-in-october-bloomberg.html "Citi halted financing for Trafigura’s nickel deals in October – Bloomberg") a wave of planned domestic initial public offerings, filings show, as the current case surge has hampered due diligence and information gathering – affecting an estimated $9 billion-plus in fundraising. Across mainland China, the daily numbers of new local infections in the past two weeks were much [higher than those seen](https://www.financedigest.com/wall-street-seen-opening-higher-but-u-s-recession-priced-in.html "Wall Street seen opening higher but U.S. recession priced in") in the first two months this year, marking the biggest wave since the 2020 surge centred on Wuhan. The eastern city of Xuzhou, which [reported a total](https://www.financedigest.com/simalliance-members-report-shipments-of-4-9-billion-sims-in-2017-while-estimated-total-available-sim-market-in-2017-increases-2-75-to-5-6-billion-units.html "SIMalliance Members Report Shipments of 4.9 Billion SIMs in 2017, while Estimated Total Available SIM Market in 2017 Increases 2.75% to 5.6 Billion Units   ") of less than 20 local infections in the past week, has imposed a three-day lockdown in most areas starting Wednesday. The Xuzhou government said each household in those areas should only send one person to go out to shop for necessities every other day, while non-essential companies should either shut operations, have employees [work from home](https://www.financedigest.com/savile-row-designer-on-working-from-home-winter-attire.html "Savile Row Designer on Working From Home Winter Attire"), or operate in a closed-loop manner. The National Health Commission (NHC) said on Wednesday China had built, or was in the process of constructing, 82 temporary hospitals across 46 cities. This is more than double the 33 temporary hospitals [health authorities said the country had or was preparing eight days](https://www.financedigest.com/why-your-employees-need-a-mental-health-day.html "Why Your Employees Need A ‘Mental Health Day’") ago. (Reporting by Brenda Goh and Roxanne Liu, additional reporting by David Stanway and the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Raju Gopalakrishnan) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---