Shanghai authorities announced plans to continuously improve food deliveries in the region as millions of people express growing discontent over China's coronavirus restrictions, which forced parents to be separated from young children infected with COVID-19.
China has been fighting against a massive coronavirus wave since March, which is the biggest it has seen since the beginning of the health crisis. Shanghai has become the latest hotspot of the infectious virus that has forced all 25 million residents to be placed under lockdown.
Shanghai's Extended Lockdown
Beijing has ordered national health care workers and the Chinese military to boost the city's health response to the infection's spread. Authorities on Wednesday recorded nearly 20,000 new cases, which is far more than the peak of the virus in Wuhan in 2020.
While the number of infections is still relatively low compared to other countries, it shows a massive jump for China, which has enforced its strict "zero-COVID" strategy. Officials have utilized border controls, mass testing, quarantines, and stringent lockdowns, as per CNN.
The restrictions have taken a massive toll on residents, who have continued to urge authorities to provide better services. The lockdowns have caused China's financial hub to fall largely silent as only healthcare workers, volunteers, delivery personnel, and people with special permission are allowed to roam the streets.
On Mar. 28, lockdowns for the city's residents living in the eastern parts of the Huangpu river began while restrictions on the rest of the region started on Apr. 1. Originally, officials only planned to impose the lockdowns for five days at most.
According to Reuters, the Shanghai branch of the country's Communist Party called on its members to "dare show their swords and fight against all kind of behavior that interferes with and destroys the overall efforts against the pandemic" in an open letter that was released on Wednesday.
Broadcast Drones
The situation comes as videos circulated on Twitter and Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, showing what appears to be a drone hovering in the sky over Shanghai. The remote-controlled machinery is seemingly broadcasting COVID-19 lockdown guidelines to the city's residents.
The drone could be seen with a red flashing light and is hovering above apartment buildings and broadcasting the message loudly. The person who originally posted the video said that the footage was taken in a residential district in Shanghai.
In the video's caption, the user warned people not to sing songs on their balconies, referencing residents from Songjiang Jiuting Park who sang a little bit being greeted by a drone that told them to control the desire for freedom in their souls.
The footage also shows the drone flying over buildings with a robotic voice that broadcasts the message, "Residents of Jiuting. During the pandemic, we request that you strictly abide by COVID-19 restrictions and related guidelines. Control your soul's desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing. This increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission."
Residents have also noted seeing other drones flying over Shangai's districts, which has prompted some who filmed the machines to call it a glimpse of "Cyberpunk 2077," referencing the video game, Business Insider reported.
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