Christmas: Shanghai residents asked to stay indoors

KABUL (Pajhwok): Surging Covid-19 cases in China have prompted authorities to caution Shanghai inhabitants against gatherings ahead of the Christmas festival.

The call for residents of China’s most populated city was issued by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission on Saturday.

Reuters reported that youth in particular were asked to stay away from big gatherings to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Following a sudden end to strict testing requirements and travel curbs, China has seen a spike in Covid cases in recent weeks.

In Shanghai, which has a huge Christmas-themed market on Nanjing West Road, restaurants offer promotions to boost their businesses.

Restaurants in the city have scrapped Christmas celebrations, with hotels having curtailed reservations, a hospitality industry worker said.

People lamented on social media that they will be staying inside as most of their friends have tested positive for Covid.

More than a million coronavirus cases are detected aver 5,000 fatalities recorded daily in China after the easing of restrictions, a UK-based health data firm said this week.

On Saturday (today), the authorities announced 4,128 daily symptomatic Covid-19 infections. There were no deaths for a fourth consecutive day.

PAN Monitor/mud