Shanghai reports 1,259 'asymptomatic' COVID cases

China's Shanghai has reported 1,259 local asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, media reported citing the municipal health commission, adding that the city has 228 confirmed locally transmitted coronavirus cases.

Yesterday, the last two lines of the Shanghai subway were terminated, bringing the city's entire subway system to a standstill until further notice.

"Starting at 1 a.m. [05:00 GMT] on May 10, 2022 and until further notice, the sixth and sixteenth subway lines cease their operations. Currently, all lines and stations of the Shanghai subway shut down," the subway administration said on social media, as quoted by Sputnik news agency.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shanghai subway, which is the world's longest metro, had the record average daily passenger traffic accounting for 10 million people.

Authorities in Shanghai have imposed a lockdown since March due to a surge in COVID-19 infections. Under the initial plan, the lockdown was meant to facilitate mass testing across the city and was expected to be lifted in April, however, increasing cases led to further restrictions.

Even as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Chinese authorities remain committed to a "zero-tolerance" policy by imposing strict lockdowns at the slightest threat of a disease outbreak.

Due to rising COVID-19 infections in China and the enforcement of the Zero-Covid policy by Xi Jinping, global supply chains have taken a hit as Shanghai is the main export centre of China.

( With inputs from ANI )

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