Shanghai orders mass testing of 15 million people

Beijing The authorities in the financial and economic metropolis of Shanghai want to test 15 million people in eight districts over the weekend. During the test period, residents are not allowed to leave their housing complexes.

The announcement sparked panic buying in affected areas. A strict nine-week lockdown only ended at the beginning of June. This had started with an announcement of a four-day mass test and then continued to be extended. As a result, many Shanghainese ran out of food because the supply had collapsed.

China is pursuing a strict zero-Covid strategy. Even in the case of individual corona cases, entire blocks of houses or even districts are cordoned off. The renewed mass tests in Shanghai were ordered after eleven corona cases were discovered in the 25 million metropolis on Thursday. Initially, the strict measures were only announced for one district, but then extended to seven other districts. A total of 60 percent of the population is affected.