Shanghai records 192 new cases among people with exposure risk

A total of 192 new infection cases were found among people with exposure risk to COVID-19 in Shanghai from Sunday to Tuesday, accounting for 1.07 percent of the total locally transmitted cases, said the municipal government.

Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the municipal health commission, told the daily news conference on Wednesday that the city reported 260 new confirmed cases, 4,722 asymptomatic cases, and 16 deaths on Tuesday.

"The combined nucleic acid and antigen tests and the corresponding control measures are showing effects as the number of people living in locked-down areas has been dropping steadily while the number of people in precautionary areas is increasing," he said.

Zhao said the patients discharged from hospitals are required to undergo self-health monitoring at home and only take one nucleic acid test on the seventh day.

The test should be taken by a medical worker at the person's doorstep, or at public hospitals with the person being transported in a closed-loop manner, Zhao said.

"If the result is positive and the test's cycle threshold value being set at 35 or lower, the person must be transported back to hospital for quarantine," he said. "But the person's test results will not affect the risk level of the community and the apartment unit where he lives."

As the daily new infections have continued to decline, the government is pushing forward the resumption of work. A white list mechanism has been established for workers in industrial companies, major construction projects, and commercial enterprises.

"The entities can submit the personnel list and those who meet epidemic control requirements will get an electronic pass for returning to work," Zhao said. "But the entities must implement close-loop management for their workers and enact higher protection standard, such as wearing N95 mask and face shield for workers with higher exposure risk."