Pandemic: Shanghai Partially and Shenzhen Fully Locked Down, Jilin Locked Down the Province

The COVID-19 virus is spreading in China. Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen all reported Omicron cases. Authorities reported 3,507 confirmed infection cases and 1,647 asymptomatic cases, or 5,154 cases in total, in one day on March 14; whereas, in the past, the official daily infected count was only in the range of one or a few hundred. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is known for hiding COVID information, so the actual infection count is unknown.

China’s National Health Commission issued a statement on March 15 that from March 1 to 14, the cumulative number of reported infections in China exceeded 15,000 and has spread to 28 provinces and municipalities.

Several cities in China were locked down. The Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province lockdown was from March 14 to 21. Shanghai is also partially locked down: schools, residential communities, and hospitals that had COVID cases or had people in close contact with COVID patients were locked down. All train and long-distance bus stations were closed on March 14, and all elementary and middle schools have changed to online teaching.

Other locked-down cities include Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province on March 11; Yuchen City, Shandong Province on March 11; Dongguan City, Guangdong Province on March 14; and Langfang City, Hebei Province on March 15. Shengyang City, Liaoning Province shut down its international airport on March 15.

Jilin Province became the first locked down province in this round. It reported 4,067 cases on March 14 and an accumulation of over 8,000 patients since February 28. Authorities announced a lockdown of the whole province on March 14, prohibiting its 24 million residents from leaving the province. Jilin City in the province also built several modular hospitals with 10,000 beds.

Jiangsu Province, next to Shanghai, asked its residents to report any person coming from Shanghai or other infected areas. Wuxi City, Jiangsu published an award policy on March 12: reporting a person who had close contact with a COVID patient but didn’t quarantine himself would receive an award 2,000 yuan (US $315); reporting a person who left home while taking home quarantine – award 1,000 yuan; and reporting a person who came from an infected area but didn’t report himself to the local authorities – award 500 yuan. If any of the reported persons tested positive, the reporter will be awarded another 10,000 yuan. Nantong City, Jiangsu Province also announced an award of 200 yuan for reporting a person coming from Shanghai or other high or medium risk areas that the local authorities are not aware of.

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