By David Kirton

SHANGHAI (Reuters). China’s financial centre Shanghai has reported more than 27,000 coronavirus infections on Thursday. Its new record comes just one day after President Xi Jinping declared that China should continue to follow its strict “dynamic” COVID clearance policy and take pandemic-control measures.

Shanghai currently battles China’s most severe COVID-19 virus outbreak. The virus was first discovered in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and has since spread to Shanghai. Shanghai’s 25 million inhabitants are still in lockdown. Some restrictions were lifted this week.

Hopes are raised for a shift of policy when the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a guide to home quarantining through its social media channels on Wednesday.

China enforces strict quarantine rules. Even people with no symptoms have to go in.

The CDC guide to quarantine at home – in a ventilated room stocked full of masks and sanitizer – raises hopes that state facilities will be allowed to use the same guidelines.

The CDC referred however to the older rules when a user of social media asked about home quarantine eligibility.

The Thursday briefing by Shanghai authorities did not indicate any changes in their approach.

Shanghai recorded a record number of 2,573 cases on Thursday. This is an increase from the 1,189 cases a day prior. Meanwhile, asymptomatics reached 25,146, an increase from 25,141.

Officials from the city said cases were rising despite lockdown, partly due to a backlog in test results and ongoing transmission between family members.

Xi stated Wednesday that China must adhere to its “dynamic COVID clearance policy” while there is a global pandemic. He promised that those locked down will persevere and prevail.

Xi stated that there will be no change in the approach to pandemic prevention and control during a Hainan Island visit. He said that China must not abandon its current approach which has effectively closed China’s borders from international travel.

China’s zero-COVID policies have been challenged increasingly by Omicron variant. This fast-growing virus has placed millions under different forms of lockdown, disrupting supply chain and causing disruption to their lives. While other countries have removed restrictions, it continues its spread.

Gavekal dragonomics conducted a study on April 7, and found that quarantine restrictions were imposed in 87 of China’s largest 100 cities.

After battling for cases since March, Jilin authorities declared that they have stopped the spread of COVID-19 in their northeastern province.

After eradicating its previous outbreak, Shenzhen’s southern tech hub appears to be experiencing a rebound. Authorities reported Thursday 21 infections including 13 with symptoms and 8 without. This is the highest number of new cases since March 21.