During an Omicron wave in March, roughly 70% of China’s COVID-19 cases reported had no symptoms.
Of the 103,965 locally acquired cases reported in March, only 3,046 had symptoms, according to National Health Commission data. And most of the asymptomatic infections were reported in Shanghai.
Unlike other countries, however, China does not count asymptomatic infections in its official COVID-19 tally—it only includes people who have symptoms. But asymptomatic case numbers are still reported, and those who test positive without symptoms are still sent into isolation.
Shipping Containers Stacking Up at China’s Ports as COVID-19 Lockdowns Trigger Shortage of Truck Drivers
Containers full of frozen food and chemicals are piling up at China’s biggest port in Shanghai as the city’s lockdown and virus testing means truckers can’t get to the docks to pick up boxes.
A shortage of trucks to haul containers from the port is impeding the clearance of imports. The shortage is also hitting companies that have been able to continue working through the lockdown, with chip giant Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. struggling to secure trucks to ship out finished goods.
Truckers form a crucial component of supply chains in China, moving raw materials from coastal ports to factories further inland. The backlog is likely contributing to growing ship queues off China, threatening even more delays and higher freight rates in coming months.
Tightened restrictions on truckers in other parts of China are also delaying the delivery and return of containers to ports, according to freight forwarders. There is a possibility that containers of frozen food or hazardous items like lithium batteries or chemicals won’t be able to land at Shanghai and will need to be re-routed to other ports.
