To conduct mass coronavirus testing, Shanghai will lockdown a district of 2.7 million people on Saturday, according to news agency AFP. The city authorities have already eased many restrictions last week, after confining most of its 25 million residents to their homes since March as China battled its worst COVID-19 outbreak in two years.
The southwestern district of Minhang, which is home to 2.7 million people, will be placed under "closed management" on Saturday morning and all residents will be tested, district authorities said in a social media post on Thursday.
"The closure will be lifted after samples have been collected," they added, without giving a specific time or date.
The statement did not say what measures would be imposed if any district residents test positive.
Today, Shanghai reported nine new local infections, however no cases were found in Minhand.
The district's announcement sparked fear among some social media users that the lockdown could be prolonged beyond Saturday if any cases are found.
On the other hand, China's capital Beijing, meanwhile, is transitioning more smoothly towards normality after shutting restaurants, gyms and subway stations last month to stamp out a smaller outbreak.
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