Shanghai's government will allow more manufacturing businesses to resume production as the city reported the lowest daily addition of new cases since April 2.
On Tuesday night, the municipal government issued revised guidelines asking companies that are ready to comply with virus-control rules to apply to resume production, raising hopes for an end to crippling supply-chain disturbances.
New Covid-19 cases in Shanghai fell for the 11th consecutive day, with authorities discovering a total of 4,982 cases over the past 24 hours, according to data released on Wednesday. That is a 12.1 per cent drop from a day earlier, and the lowest number since April 2. Symptomatic cases also dropped 5.1 per cent to 260, while 16 patients died.
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However, 63 new cases emerged in the low-risk, unguarded zones, indicating that Shanghai has yet to achieve the societal zero-Covid goal - defined as zero new cases in the non-quarantined zones.
A resident behind barriers in a sealed off area in Shanghai on May 3, 2022. Photo: Reuters alt=A resident behind barriers in a sealed off area in Shanghai on May 3, 2022. Photo: Reuters>
"The data showed that the city was edging closer to containing the outbreak," said Wang Feng, chairman of financial service group Ye Lang Capital in Shanghai. "But the number of cases in unguarded zones was not a good sign with risks of a resurgence remaining."
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The Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology on Tuesday night opened the door for more manufacturing businesses to apply to join about 2,000 companies that have already resumed work. The invitation came in the form of an update to an operating guide, originally published on April 18, concerning the resumption of production. The guide requires white-listed manufacturers to operate under a closed-loop system, where workers sleep on-site or nearby to avoid contact with outsiders.
People exchange protective gear over a fence in Shanghai on May 2, 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=People exchange protective gear over a fence in Shanghai on May 2, 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE>
On April 16, the commission gave the green light to 666 key manufacturers, including Tesla and chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp to restart operations in the closed-loop mode. Over the weekend, the local government allowed another 1,188 manufacturers to resume production.