In a major U-turn late on Sunday (March 27) night, China announced its biggest ever city-wide lockdown. Shanghai will be locked down in two stages over nine days while authorities carry out mass COVID-19 testing.
The important financial hub has battled a new wave of infections for nearly a month, although case numbers are not high by some international standards. Authorities had so far resisted locking down the city of some 25 million people to avoid destabilizing the economy.
The lockdown will happen in two stages, with the eastern side of the city under restrictions from Monday (March 28) until April 1, and the western side from April 1-5.
Public transport will be suspended and firms and factories must halt operations or work remotely, authorities said.