Most of the proven cases are asymptomatic, authorities have acknowledged. Nonetheless, they insist on continuing the strict lockdown, as people are not allowed to leave their homes. If they violate the prohibition, they face severe punishment.
More than 26 million people are imprisoned in Shanghai, but the number of people infected is rising.
Photo: Aly Song, Reuters
Many companies in the closed megapolis of 26 million people had to stop production due to the closure. According to Reuters, this also applies to the more than thirty Taiwanese companies that mainly produce electronic components. These include Quanta Computer, which assembles computers for Apple, and Pegatron, which assembles iPhones for Apple.
The strict lockdown is reflected in the lack of food and daily necessities that people trapped in their homes lack. The logistics chain has collapsed and private companies are unable to cope with online shopping. But police have warned townspeople complaining about food shortages not to spread fake news.
Police also warned that people would not try to forge a permit to leave the road, which, with some exceptions, is prohibited.
The curfew should be lifted in residential areas of Shanghai where there has been no outbreak. However, neighborhood committees or property management companies urged residents not to leave their flats or housing complexes as a precaution.
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