by David Stanway and Roxanne Liu
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) – Shanghai took further steps on Friday to gradually lift its COVID-19 lockdown as Beijing weighs cases where its restrictions would affect the medical sector as China continues to lift its health restrictions unevenly.
As the financial hub of Shanghai faced a severe two-month lockdown to halt the wave of COVID-19 infections, the capital Beijing imposed strict movement restrictions to quell a smaller but stubborn outbreak.
The measures have battered the world’s second-largest economy, with data showing a slow and partial recovery, even as most countries attempt to return to near-normal conditions.
Profits at industrial companies fell the fastest in two years in April, data showed Friday, as high commodity prices and bottlenecks in supply chains squeezed margins and disrupted the factory activity, but some improvement could be seen this month.
China’s central bank said on Thursday it would promote more credit for small businesses.
Shanghai, China’s most populous city, aims to end its lockdown from Wednesday. Authorities have allowed more people to go outside, some businesses have been able to resume operations and a limited number of transport and public places have reopened in recent days.
Most residents, however, remain confined to their homes and stores can only make deliveries.
On the other hand, the capital Beijing this week tightened quarantines, reduced presence in the workplace and took action against people who do not respect the restrictions, sometimes causing other more serious problems.
Authorities are investigating cases of delays in treating acutely ill patients and pregnant women, and some emergency workers have been suspended from duty as a result, the People’s Daily reported on Friday, backed by the media. ‘State.
Shanghai’s latest daily COVID-19 case toll was below 300, with no cases outside quarantine areas, and Beijing reported 29 daily cases, down from 45 a day earlier.
(Report Beijing and Shanghai offices, written by Marius Zaharia; French version Dina Kartit, edited by Kate Entringer)