Second Shanghai Lockdown Possible As China Sees Surge In Omicron Subvariant Cases

KEY POINTS

Shanghai has designated 37 streets to be at medium risk of COVID-19 transmission
Residents in nine of the city's 16 districts will be asked to take PCR tests
The subvariant causing Shanghai's current wave was first discovered in a patient who flew in from Uganda

Shanghai residents may see another round of lockdown as the COVID-19 cases in China continue to soar amid the spread of a subvariant of omicron.

The current wave of COVID-19 cases in the city is caused by the Omicron BA.5 variant, which was first detected in China on May 13. The patient was a 37-year-old male patient who had flown into Shanghai from Uganda, The Washington Post reported.

On Monday, local government officials in the city of Shanghai deemed 37 streets to be at medium risk of COVID-19 transmission and one street designated high risk. While city officials have yet to impose an official lockdown, the classification means residents would not be allowed to leave their homes as part of the city’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus, the report said.

The Shanghai government will also conduct PCR tests for all residents living in nine of the city’s 16 districts, according to a statement posted on the social media app WeChat as first reported by the Washington Post.

City officials have not yet given a clear indication of whether they plan to put Shanghai in lockdown any time soon. However, some residents said Shanghai officials in March also initially denied reports of a possible lockdown before putting one in place. Many are now rushing to stores to stock up on goods.

During the last lockdown in March, the city’s 25 million residents struggled to buy groceries or secure basic health care. The city’s mental health hotline also received triple the number of usual calls, with as many as 2 in 5 residents reporting symptoms of depression.

So far, there is no evidence that the BA.5 subvariant can cause more severe illnesses among patients. However, it is the most contagious COVID-19 variant so far and is thought to be even more transmissible than other Omicron variants.

Reports of a possible lockdown come after health officials Sunday announced they have detected a new COVID-19 subvariant, Omicron BA.5.2.1, in the financial district of Pudong. The new subvariant was linked to a case from overseas, Zhao Dandan, vice director of the city’s health commission said in a briefing.