Shanghai reports 1,606 confirmed Covid-19 cases; death toll climbs

China's economic hub Shanghai on Tuesday reported 1,606 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 11,956 asymptomatic carriers, Xinhua reported citing the municipal health commission as saying

China's economic hub Shanghai on Tuesday reported 1,606 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 11,956 local asymptomatic carriers, Xinhua reported citing the municipal health commission as saying on Wednesday.

Shanghai has been facing the worst COVID-19 outbreak and has been desperately seeking medical care and basic supplies like food.

Shanghai authorities have imposed draconian lockdown measures since March that have locked 25 million residents in their homes.

On April 3, the Chinese government announced the deployment of thousands of military personnel to Shanghai to assist in the mandatory testing of all 25 million residents for the virus that causes Covid-19.

On April 4, Shanghai authorities said the city would indefinitely remain under lockdown - meaning that residents are not allowed to leave their homes, as it reviews the results of the mass Covid testing.

Meanwhile, horrifying videos have emerged showing Shanghai residents screaming from their windows over strict COVID lockdown measures that prevent them from leaving home even for food.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread in more and more cities in China, questions are mounting over the country's zero covid policy.

China's much-publicised 'zero-covid' strategy that the government credited for bringing the country out of the pandemic till recently is falling apart as the rapidly mounting cases are again forcing mass lockdowns like those seen in 2020.