Beijing Kicks Off Fresh Round of COVID Tests as Shanghai Postpones Crucial Exams

Sabtu, 07 Mei 2022 | 14:07 WIB
Beijing Kicks Off Fresh Round of COVID Tests as Shanghai Postpones Crucial Exams
[ILUSTRASI. COVID-19 test at di Beijing, China, Minggu (10/4/2022). REUTERS/Tingshu Wang]
Reporter: Sumber: Reuters | Editor: Thomas Hadiwinata

KONTAN.CO.ID - SHANGHAI, May 7 (Reuters) - China's capital Beijing kicked off a fresh round of mass testing for COVID-19 on Saturday and shut more bus routes and metro stations, as it seeks to avert the fate of Shanghai, where millions of residents have been locked down for over a month.

The draconian movement curbs on Shanghai, an economic and financial hub, have caused frustration among its 25 million residents and triggered rare protests over issues such as access to food and medical care as well as loss of income.

While some people have been let out for light and air in recent weeks, residents for the most part say they still cannot leave their housing compounds.

Shanghai cases have fallen for eight straight days and the city says its outbreak is under effective control, allowing it to shut some of the makeshift hospitals it raced to build as case numbers ballooned. But authorities have also indicated that a full easing is still far off and warn against complacency to stick to China's zero-COVID goal.

Baca Juga: Hangzhou Asian Games Postponed Until 2023 Over Covid

In a Saturday announcement underscoring that expectation, Shanghai officials postponed the "gaokao" university entrance exam for city to early July. It took place in June last year and the last time that happened was in 2020, during the initial virus outbreak.

The city's top Communist Party official, Li Qiang, a close ally of President Xi Jinping, told a Friday government meeting that it was "necessary to issue military orders at all levels, and take more resolute and powerful actions to overcome the great war and great tests," according to an official statement.

The number of infections in Shanghai outside areas under lockdown - a gauge of whether the city can further reopen - fell to 18 on Friday from 23 the day before. Total new cases declined slightly to around 4,000, data released on Saturday showed.

Shanghai is also building thousands of permanent PCR testing stations, in line with other cities, as China looks to make regular testing a feature of everyday life.

Baca Juga: Gold Prices Firm, But Set for 3rd Weekly Fall on Fed Rate Hike Prospects

China's COVID policy is increasingly out of step with much of the rest of the world, where governments have eased restrictions, or dropped them altogether, in a bid to "live with COVID" even as infections spread.

But Chinese leaders this week reiterated their resolve to battle the virus and threatened action against critics of their strict measures. Beyond Shanghai, dozens of cities have imposed full or partial lockdowns, relaxing and tightening curbs at various times.

The measures are exacting a mounting economic toll that has fueled complaints from global industry groups and businesses at home.

China's auto association on Friday estimated that sales in April dropped 48% year-on-year, as zero COVID-19 policies shut factories, limited traffic to showrooms and put the brakes on spending in the world's largest car market.

In Shanghai, although the government has provided guidelines on how companies can restart operations, a survey conducted of Japanese firms in late April found the majority were still struggling to do so due to the onerous requirements. Read full story

Since Friday, organizers have cancelled, postponed or relocated a slate of major international sporting events set to take place in China in the second half of the year, including the Asian Games set for Hangzhou in September and Diamond League athletics meets originally scheduled for Shanghai on July 30 and Shenzhen on Aug. 6. 

The moves, which followed a government meeting on Thursday chaired by Xi that called for a doubling down on the zero-COVID approach, defy a global sporting calendar that has largely returned to normal.

Baca Juga: Thailand Targets 5 Million to 15 Million Foreign Tourists this Year

Beijing is striving to avoid an explosion in cases like that of Shanghai by conducting rounds of mass testing, banning restaurant dining-in services in multiple districts and has shut more than 60 subway stations, about 15% of the network.

On Saturday, it kicked off the first of three new rounds of daily testing in its biggest district, Chaoyang, home to embassies and large offices, and said residents in other areas where cases had been reported needed to take tests on the weekend.

The city reported 45 new symptomatic COVID-19 cases for May 6, down from 55 cases a day earlier. It recorded 8 asymptomatic cases, which China counts separately, versus 17 a day earlier.

Bagikan

Berita Terbaru

Sejahteraraya Anugrahjaya (SRAJ) Tancap Gas, Geber Ekspansi Pembangunan RS Mayapada
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 11:02 WIB

Sejahteraraya Anugrahjaya (SRAJ) Tancap Gas, Geber Ekspansi Pembangunan RS Mayapada

Manajemen Mayapada Hospital Jakarta Selatan menyebut, proyek tersebut menelan dana investasi antara Rp 900 miliar hingga Rp 1,4 triliun.

Tak Cuma Indonesia, Mayoritas PMI Negara ASEAN Mengalami Kontraksi Pada Mei 2025
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 11:00 WIB

Tak Cuma Indonesia, Mayoritas PMI Negara ASEAN Mengalami Kontraksi Pada Mei 2025

Jika PMI Indonesia masih terus tertahan di bawah level 50, dikhawatirkan bakal berdampak ke PHK massal.

Saham Emiten Ini Diakumulasi Pengendali Lagi, Begini Proyeksi Kinerja dan Ekspansinya
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 10:40 WIB

Saham Emiten Ini Diakumulasi Pengendali Lagi, Begini Proyeksi Kinerja dan Ekspansinya

Total kapasitas produksi seluruh pabrik ISSP akan mencapai 1 juta ton per tahun setelah pabrik di Gresik beroperasi penuh.

Profit 31,43% Setahun, Harga Emas Antam Hari Ini Susut (6 Juni 2025)
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 09:32 WIB

Profit 31,43% Setahun, Harga Emas Antam Hari Ini Susut (6 Juni 2025)

Harga emas Antam hari ini (6 Juni 2025) Rp 1.929.000 per gram. Di atas kertas pembeli setahun lalu bisa untung 31,43% jika menjual hari ini.

Volatilitas Saham MBMA Meningkat Usai Masuk MSCI, Asing Profit Taking di Harga Pucuk
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 08:00 WIB

Volatilitas Saham MBMA Meningkat Usai Masuk MSCI, Asing Profit Taking di Harga Pucuk

PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk (MBMA) kemungkinan tidak akan membagikan dividen dari laba bersih tahun buku 2024.

Terkenal Defensif, Saham ICBP, CMRY, Hingga MYOR bisa Jadi Pilihan Hadapi Masa Sulit
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 07:00 WIB

Terkenal Defensif, Saham ICBP, CMRY, Hingga MYOR bisa Jadi Pilihan Hadapi Masa Sulit

Paket stimulus ekonomi yang digelontorkan pemerintah diharapkan bisa menjadi katalis positif jangka pendek.

Jumlah Investor Kripto Dua Kali Lipat Investor Saham, ke Depan Kian Mendominasi
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 06:00 WIB

Jumlah Investor Kripto Dua Kali Lipat Investor Saham, ke Depan Kian Mendominasi

Pertambahan jumlah Investor dan trader kripto terus berlangsung di tengah tekanan ekonomi dan melemahnya daya beli masyarakat.

Sebagian Duit Private Placement FAST Untuk Efisiensi Karyawan, PHK di KFC Berlanjut?
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 05:00 WIB

Sebagian Duit Private Placement FAST Untuk Efisiensi Karyawan, PHK di KFC Berlanjut?

Sepanjang tahun lalu PT Fast Food Indonesia Tbk (FAST) telah melakukan pengurangan jumlah karyawan sebanyak 2.883 orang.

Kantor Bank Sepi, Premi Bancassurance Susut
| Jumat, 06 Juni 2025 | 04:20 WIB

Kantor Bank Sepi, Premi Bancassurance Susut

Penjualan produk asuransi jiwa lewat kerja sama dengan perbankan tertekan di awal tahun 2025 karena perubahan pola layanan bank.

Kinerja April Kompak Melemah, Sektor Perbankan Diprediksi Tetap Akan Menguat
| Kamis, 05 Juni 2025 | 19:39 WIB

Kinerja April Kompak Melemah, Sektor Perbankan Diprediksi Tetap Akan Menguat

Perbaikan NIM akan berfungsi sebagai katalis pemeringkatan ulang bagi sektor perbankan dalam waktu dekat.

INDEKS BERITA

Terpopuler