Shanghai records first COVID-19 deaths in most recent outbreak

Three elderly people with underlying conditions who had not been vaccinated against the coronavirus died, Shanghai’s Health Commission inspector said, bringing China’s official death toll from COVID-19 to 4,641 since 2019. The country’s actual death toll from the pandemic is thought to be much higher than the government-reported numbers. Although China’s overall vaccination rate is high, only 62 percent of people older than 60 in Shanghai have received the shot, according to data reported by state-run media. Right now, most of the city’s 25 million residents are confined to their homes for a third consecutive week as food and necessities become harder to find.

What does this mean for the economy? China reported Monday its economy expanded at an annual pace of only 4.8 percent from January to March, falling short of its 5.5 percent target. Economists expect the shutdown to cause shortages and supply chain disruptions in the electronics and automotive industries. Shanghai started easing restrictions for areas deemed “low-risk” last week, affecting about 4.8 million residents. The infection rate is going down, but last week the World Health Organization reported 23,362 new positive cases, almost all in Shanghai. 

Dig deeper: Read Mark Tooley’s article in WORLD Opinions on what it’s like to be locked down in China.