Beijing warns of 'explosive' Covid outbreak, Shanghai conducts mass testing

Chinese cities are experiencing a massive Covid surge, claim Chinese governmemt officials. Meanwhile, Shanghai has begun mass testing for detection of Coronavirus amongst residents.

China's capital Beijing is experiencing an "explosive" Covid-19 outbreak connected to a bar, a government spokesman said on Saturday, as the commercial hub, Shanghai, conducted mass testing to contain a jump in cases tied to a hair salon.

The warning followed a new tightening of COVID curbs in Beijing since Thursday, with at least two districts closing some entertainment venues after a flare-up in a neighbourhood full of nightlife, shopping and embassies.
 

While China's infection rate is low by global standards, it maintains a zero-Covid policy, citing the need to protect the elderly and the medical system, even as other countries