Daily COVID-19 Cases in Shanghai Rise Consecutively Despite Deployment of 40,000 Medical Personnel

27,719 Cases as of the 13th... Shanghai COVID-19 Crisis Expected to Continue Until June
All 9 Severe Patients Unvaccinated, 8 Are Elderly with Underlying Conditions

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese health authorities have dispatched more than 40,000 medical personnel to Shanghai. Although the citywide lockdown has been partially eased, the number of daily new confirmed cases in Shanghai has been increasing day by day since a slight decrease on the 11th. It is expected that this trend will continue until June if the current situation persists.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to media including Xinhua News Agency on the 14th, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) announced that more than 40,000 medical personnel drafted from 16 provinces are currently responsible for nucleic acid (PCR) testing and other tasks in Shanghai.

The NHC explained that the medical personnel dispatched to Shanghai are conducting 2.38 million nucleic acid tests per day and collaborating with local medical staff on treatment work.

Despite external support, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Shanghai continues to rise daily.

The NHC reported that the total number of infections confirmed the previous day was 27,719 (including 25,146 asymptomatic cases). This is an increase of 1,389 compared to the 12th. After a slight decrease on the 11th, the number has increased for two consecutive days. Shanghai partially eased the full city lockdown on the afternoon of the 10th.

The NHC stated that there are currently nine severe cases. All nine are unvaccinated, and eight of them are elderly patients aged 70 to 93 with underlying health conditions. The NHC added that most confirmed cases, except for these nine, are mild.

Wu Hanwei, Deputy Director of the Disease Prevention and Control Center, explained the reason for the daily emergence of confirmed cases: "Nucleic acid testing requires time, and most confirmed cases are infected within family units, resulting in many positive diagnoses." He also added that infections have occurred during the delivery and supply support process.

The northeastern Jilin Province, where the spread has subsided, still maintains around 1,000 new daily infections.

Meanwhile, the total number of new infections across China the previous day reached a record high of 29,317 (including 26,318 asymptomatic cases).