Shanghai Covid-19 outbreak grows as first sub-variant case detected

Covid-19 cases in Shanghai continued to climb as parts of China’s financial hub face more rounds of mass testing, with new sub-variants providing a constant challenge to the country’s zero-tolerance approach to the virus.

The city recorded 69 new infections for Sunday, the most since late May and up from 57 the day before. Cases have increased abruptly after a period of little to no trace of the virus, where officials declared victory over Covid and praised their handling of a crisis that left China’s most global city locked down for two months in May and June.

Shanghai found its first case of the more contagious BA.5 sub-strain of the omicron variant Friday, triggering two rounds of mass testing between Tuesday and Thursday in nine districts, plus other areas where cases have been found, a health official said Sunday.