Covid, cases boom in Shanghai: US orders departure of consulate staff

The US State Department has ordered the non-essential staff of its consulate in Shanghai to leave the country, while the city is under a very strict lockdown due to the increase in covid infections. The order applies to “all family members” of the staff “due to a surge in infections and the impact of restrictions” imposed by China, reads a note from the department, which in recent days had also released a travel notice inviting fellow countrymen to reconsider travel to China. China is experiencing the most significant explosion of cases since the beginning of the pandemic over two years ago: particularly affected Shanghai and Shenyang and Changchun, in the north-east of the country, subject to very strict restrictions, which provide, among other things, that those who are infected have to go to a hospital or a quarantine facility.