COVID-19 Surge Caused by BA.5 Variant Sparks Lockdown Fears in Shanghai, Heatwave Warning Issues

A scorching wave is spreading throughout China, with inhabitants seeking relief in air raid shelters and public fountains as 84 cities across the country issued their highest-level red alert warnings on Wednesday.

According to the National Meteorological Administration, a red signal implies that temperatures are predicted to rise over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the next 24 hours.

China Warns COVID-19 Surge in Provinces

Warnings have also been issued for areas extending from central Shaanxi province to the eastern coastline of Jiangsu province. Temperatures in Zhejiang, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces might potentially reach 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, according to the Central Meteorological Observatory.

Temperatures have been rising for many days, with Shanghai issuing a red warning for the first time this year on Sunday when the financial center reached 40 degrees Celsius, according to state-run tabloid The Global Times. The Shanghai Meteorological Service reported on Sunday that the city has only had 15 days with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees since records began in 1873.

City vendors reported increased sales of ice cream, melons, and crayfish chilled in vodka - a favorite summertime dish. Every day, eight metric tons of ice are used to keep lions, pandas, and other animals cool at a huge Shanghai wildlife park. This year has also seen record-high temperatures in other regions of the country, including the southern Sichuan Basin, according to CNN.

Shanghai May Implement New COVID-19 Lockdown

Concerns that Shanghai may be subjected to a fresh lockdown grew on Wednesday, even as the official daily tally of COVID-19 infections fell across the majority of the country.

On Wednesday, China reported fewer than 300 new locally transmitted cases for the first time in 11 days, with infections declining drastically in Anhui and Jiangsu, which had been witnessing the most severe outbreaks in recent weeks.

According to the most recent National Health Commission statement, which covers illnesses from the previous day, Shanghai recorded 55 new cases. The virus's resistance to containment attempts is raising fears that more of Shanghai's 25 million citizens may be confined to their homes, only weeks after a two-month citywide lockdown in China's most economically significant metropolis closed companies and affected global supply networks.

Two neighborhood groups verified internet allegations that they had instructed residents to store goods to last 14 days. Such committees are low-level entities that monitor local affairs, but their authority over citizens' daily life came to light during the city's lockdown, which began in late March.

Shanghai officials said all of the new cases reported Wednesday were tracked to those who were previously quarantined, as they further limited travel in other regions of the city due to the increased danger of transmission from the communities where these people lived. The city has 15 high-risk zones and 196 medium-risk zones, up from seven high-risk zones and 74 medium-risk zones a week earlier, WSJ reported.

As reported by Japanese bank Nomura, about 250 million individuals in China are currently under virus control measures, which is more than double the amount last week.

Persistent breakouts and tough government reactions have dashed expectations that Beijing is ready to move away from the harsh limitations witnessed earlier this year when tens of millions were confined to their homes for weeks at a time

According to the National Health Commission, the country registered 347 new domestic cases on Tuesday, with more than 80% of them showing no symptoms. Fears have developed about stricter Covid restrictions in Shanghai, which was locked down for two months earlier this year, interrupted by supply shortages and occasional demonstrations.

The majority of the megacity's 25 million citizens have been required to undergo two COVID-19 tests between Tuesday and Thursday, as daily case numbers remain in the double digits. According to an official notification, inhabitants of one county in eastern Anhui province, where authorities placed 1.7 million people under lockdown last week, were scheduled to undergo the 15th round of mass testing on Tuesday, as per The Star.