Beijing, April 18 (BNA): Shanghai authorities announced today, Monday, the first death from the emerging coronavirus (Covid-19) in the latest outbreak of the disease in the most populous and wealthiest city in China.
The Associated Press reported that the three who died were elderly people, had underlying illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure and had not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
“After they were admitted to the hospital, their condition worsened and he died after attempts to rescue them were unsuccessful,” Wu said.
The deaths bring to 4,641 the number of people China says have succumbed to the disease since the virus was first detected in the central city of Wuhan in late 2019.
Most of Shanghai’s 25 million residents are confined to their homes for a third week as China continues to use a “zero tolerance” strategy to curb the outbreak, and demands that anyone potentially infected is isolated.
China said on Monday that 23,362 people had tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours, most of them asymptomatic, and nearly all of them in Shanghai.
The city has reported more than 300,000 cases since late March. Shanghai began easing restrictions last week, although officials warned that the city was not in control of the outbreak.
Shanghai, home to China’s largest port and most important stock exchange, seemed unprepared for such a massive project.
Anyone who tests positive but shows few or no symptoms must spend one week in the quarantine facility.
China’s economic growth surged to a still weak 4.8 percent over the previous year in the first three months of 2022 as lockdowns cut production in major industrial cities. Official data showed an acceleration of growth from the previous quarter of 4 percent.
While the ruling Communist Party has urged more targeted prevention measures, local officials have routinely adopted strict regulations.
MI