Shanghai reports 260 confirmed cases amid local spread

Shanghai: China's Shanghai continues to battle the spread of Covid-19 enforcing strict curbs.

Amid worries of its zero-covid policy backfiring, the city reported 260 locally transmitted cases.

The Municipal Health Commission also reported on Wednesday finding of 4,722 local asymptomatic cases.

Between May 1 to 3, 192 cases were identified outside the closed-off management areas.

These numbers could account for1.07 per cent of the total infections, the Commission added, according to IANS.

As of Tuesday, the number of residents living in closed-off management areas declined to 2.39 million while 15.19 million live in restrictive control areas.

As many as 15.78 million are in prevention areas, according to reports.

Meanwhile, the Chinese capital Beijing on Sunday tightened covid restrictions as it is struggling with an outbreak, according to Reuters.

Industrial city Shanghai relaxed restrictions allowing more of its 25 million residents outside their homes.

Beginning from March Shanghai saw China's worst outbreak of covid since the early month of the covid situation in 2020.

The city was closed off after thousands came down with the disease and people were asked to sit at home.

Fears over food availability and frustrations of indoor life made residents angry.

Authorities sealed up residential compounds, fogging teams roamed the streets and angry residents clashed with health workers.

Some took to social media to vent their anger, many clanged pots and pans from their windows.

Beijing has been facing the covid outbreak close to a fortnight now, and authorities on Sunday tightened social distancing rules.

In the past week, the city saw mass testing in its 16 districts as well as banning social life including entertainment and eating out.

The fresh wave of covid grips China as president Xi Jinping is expected to get third term in the office.