Residents show their health codes on mobile phones before taking part in a round of COVID-19 testing during a lockdown in Shanghai, China, on April 18. Photo: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Shanghai officials on Monday issued the first report on COVID-19 deaths since the start of its most recent lockdown, announcing that three people have died of the virus, AP reported.
Why it matters: In late March, Shanghai instituted its most extensive lockdown in two years on its 26 million residents in an effort to tamp down on a surge in cases.
- The strict "zero COVID" strategy came with a cost, spurring a food crisis, censorship and separating some children from their parents who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Last week, Shanghai authorities began easing the lockdown for some residents due to the food crisis.
The big picture: City officials said the three deaths occurred among elderly, unvaccinated patients who had pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
- "After entering hospital, their conditions grew worse and they died after attempts to save them were unsuccessful," Wu Ganyu, the city Health Commission inspector, told reporters, per AP.
- Shanghai's strict lockdown continues, with most people still confined to their homes.
But, but, but: Dissent against the lockdown rules has also risen, with videos circulating on social media showing citizens scuffling with health workers and screaming in anger from their apartment windows, Reuters reported.
- Arrests and detentions for breaking COVID-related rules also surged in March, Reuters reported, citing search results on the Weibo social media platform for police statements, posts by state agencies and state media reports.