Videos of&nbsp;a pet dog killed in the name of Covid controls, expletive-strewn songs aimed at Communist authorities and scuffles with hazmat-suited officials –- seething, locked-down&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;residents are pouring scorn on China's hardline virus measures via social media.

The world's most populous country is glued to an aggressive "zero-Covid" strategy, with Beijing extracting political value from China's relatively low death rates since the pandemic began and gloating over its handling of the virus compared to Western rivals.

But well over two years since the virus first emerged,&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;now simmers under an Omicron-fulled outbreak that has 25 million city residents locked down.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shanghai-moves-a-number-of-covid-19-patients-to-neighbouring-province-of-zhejiang-469095">Shanghai moves a number of COVID-19 patients to neighbouring province of Zhejiang</a>

Record caseloads have topped 20,000 a day and the lockdown -- initially billed as a phased, localised measure -- appears set to drag on, even as much of the world learns to live with Covid.

Many residents have tired of the government's grandstanding and social media has opened a window into their fury at food shortages, strict quarantines and overzealous officialdom.

In one particularly egregious video clip verified by AFP, a person in a hazmat suit is seen bludgeoning a corgi dog to death in the street.

A state-run&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;media outlet said Thursday the local neighbourhood committee had admitted culling the creature because they were "afraid of being infected", but conceded the act was "thoughtless".

The video has zipped across social media despite China's strict internet censorship.

Watch |&nbsp;China reports highest ever-daily cases, 'Shanghai insufficiently prepared,' says top official

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"That post about the corgi just keeps getting reshared on my WeChat moments," a&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;resident told AFP, requesting anonymity.

"I think a lot of people are going to be trying to be taking action through petitions and talking to their community... so hopefully the anger and fear turns into something more positive."

Shortages

In another dystopia-tinged viral video, a drone whirrs through a housing compound at night broadcasting a message urging residents to "control your soul's desire for freedom".&nbsp;

The video is unverified, but was billed as a local government reaction to a&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;neighbourhood, which serenaded officials with swear-word laden chants in a widely-shared clip.

Other viral videos -- whose locations have been verified by AFP -- appear to show residents scuffling with hazmat-clad officials and bursting through a barricade onto a street, yelling "we want to eat cheap vegetables!"

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-chinese-people-claim-quarantine-facilities-in-shanghai-have-insufficient-staff-shortage-of-food-468545">Watch | Shanghai residents claim quarantine facilities have insufficient staff, shortage of food</a>

Sudden stay-at-home orders have left residents short of fresh food, while delivery apps are overwhelmed each morning as demand surges and many drivers are reportedly off work fearing a positive Covid test could send them into state quarantine.

Taken together, the videos form a rare montage of public anger and a riposte to the government's narrative that it is in complete control of the pandemic.

Covid conundrum&nbsp;

China has refused to abandon its "dynamic zero" Covid strategy of border restrictions, lengthy quarantines and targeted lockdowns, even as new variants test the limits of the policy.

Any shift is unlikely while Beijing touts its pandemic controls as vindication of its right to rule, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London.&nbsp;

"Zero-Covid is not just a Party policy, but ... a Xi policy", he said, referring to China's President Xi Jinping.

"As such it cannot be wrong and cannot be abandoned -- at least not until Xi sees its continuation will harm himself or his hold on power."

Official figures show the vast majority of the more than 100,000 cases in&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;in the past month show no symptoms of Covid-19.

Yet tens of thousands of beds have been set up in centres to quarantine the infected.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-might-have-longer-impacts-on-your-brain-study-468522">Covid might have longer impacts on your brain: Study</a>

Officials only softened a policy of splitting Covid-positive children and babies from their virus-free parents after videos of wards full of young kids stoked public outrage.

For experts, what is happening in&nbsp;Shanghai&nbsp;-- and the social media backlash -- is exposing the conundrum at the heart of the central policy.

"In terms of ... balancing the need to protect health against the need to protect socioeconomic stability, I'm not sure that this is the right approach," said Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Videos of a pet dog killed in the name of Covid controls, expletive-strewn songs aimed at Communist authorities and scuffles with hazmat-suited officials –- seething, locked-down Shanghai residents are pouring scorn on China's hardline virus measures via social media.

Videos of a pet dog killed in the name of Covid controls, expletive-strewn songs aimed at Communist authorities and scuffles with hazmat-suited officials –- seething, locked-down Shanghai residents are pouring scorn on China's hardline virus measures via social media. The world's most populous country is glued to an aggressive "zero-Covid" strategy, with Beijing extracting political value from China's relatively low death rates since the pandemic began and gloating over its handling of the virus compared to Western rivals. But well over two years since the virus first emerged, Shanghai now simmers under an Omicron-fulled outbreak that has 25 million city residents locked down. Also read | Shanghai moves a number of COVID-19 patients to neighbouring province of Zhejiang Record caseloads have topped 20,000 a day and the lockdown -- initially billed as a phased, localised measure -- appears set to drag on, even as much of the world learns to live with Covid. Many residents have tired of the government's grandstanding and social media has opened a window into their fury at food shortages, strict quarantines and overzealous officialdom. In one particularly egregious video clip verified by AFP, a person in a hazmat suit is seen bludgeoning a corgi dog to death in the street. A state-run Shanghai media outlet said Thursday the local neighbourhood committee had admitted culling the creature because they were "afraid of being infected", but conceded the act was "thoughtless". The video has zipped across social media despite China's strict internet censorship. Watch | China reports highest ever-daily cases, 'Shanghai insufficiently prepared,' says top official "That post about the corgi just keeps getting reshared on my WeChat moments," a Shanghai resident told AFP, requesting anonymity. "I think a lot of people are going to be trying to be taking action through petitions and talking to their community... so hopefully the anger and fear turns into something more positive." Shortages In another dystopia-tinged viral video, a drone whirrs through a housing compound at night broadcasting a message urging residents to "control your soul's desire for freedom". The video is unverified, but was billed as a local government reaction to a Shanghai neighbourhood, which serenaded officials with swear-word laden chants in a widely-shared clip. Other viral videos -- whose locations have been verified by AFP -- appear to show residents scuffling with hazmat-clad officials and bursting through a barricade onto a street, yelling "we want to eat cheap vegetables!" Also read | Watch | Shanghai residents claim quarantine facilities have insufficient staff, shortage of food Sudden stay-at-home orders have left residents short of fresh food, while delivery apps are overwhelmed each morning as demand surges and many drivers are reportedly off work fearing a positive Covid test could send them into state quarantine. Taken together, the videos form a rare montage of public anger and a riposte to the government's narrative that it is in complete control of the pandemic. Covid conundrum China has refused to abandon its "dynamic zero" Covid strategy of border restrictions, lengthy quarantines and targeted lockdowns, even as new variants test the limits of the policy. Any shift is unlikely while Beijing touts its pandemic controls as vindication of its right to rule, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. "Zero-Covid is not just a Party policy, but ... a Xi policy", he said, referring to China's President Xi Jinping. "As such it cannot be wrong and cannot be abandoned -- at least not until Xi sees its continuation will harm himself or his hold on power." Official figures show the vast majority of the more than 100,000 cases in Shanghai in the past month show no symptoms of Covid-19. Yet tens of thousands of beds have been set up in centres to quarantine the infected. Also read | Covid might have longer impacts on your brain: Study Officials only softened a policy of splitting Covid-positive children and babies from their virus-free parents after videos of wards full of young kids stoked public outrage. For experts, what is happening in Shanghai -- and the social media backlash -- is exposing the conundrum at the heart of the central policy. "In terms of ... balancing the need to protect health against the need to protect socioeconomic stability, I'm not sure that this is the right approach," said Yanzhong Huang, senior fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

COVID-19: Shanghai social media unpicks China's Covid lockdown story

Mainland&nbsp;China has logged its highest number of daily new local symptomatic COVID-19 infections in about two years, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant pressures its stringent policy to curb each outbreak quickly.

China reported 214 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms for Sunday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Monday.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/an-ukrainian-boy-travelled-1000-km-alone-to-slovakia-to-get-to-safety-459734">&nbsp;An Ukrainian boy travelled 1,000 km alone to Slovakia to get to safety</a>

That marks the highest daily caseload since Chinese authorities started in early March 2020 to count locally found infections and cases arriving from outside&nbsp;mainland&nbsp;separately.

China's latest local virus flare-ups are tiny by global standards, and the country is sticking to its "dynamic-clearing" policy which requires local authorities to quickly identify and quarantine every infection and their close contacts and impose travel restrictions to cut off transmission.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-spikes-to-2008-highs-as-us-europe-mull-russian-oil-import-ban-iran-delay-459688">Oil spikes to 2008 highs as U.S., Europe mull Russian oil import ban, Iran delay</a>

The majority of Sunday's 214 local cases were found in the provinces of Guangdong, Jilin and Shandong.

The number of locally transmitted asymptomatic cases rose to 312 for Sunday, the highest daily number since China stared in late March, 2020 to classify symptomless infections seperately from confirmed cases.

There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll unchanged at 4,636.

As of March 6, China had reported 111,195 cases with confirmed symptoms, including both local ones and those arriving from outside the&nbsp;mainland.

Mainland China has logged its highest number of daily new local symptomatic COVID-19 infections in about two years, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant pressures its stringent policy to curb each outbreak quickly.

Mainland China has logged its highest number of daily new local symptomatic COVID-19 infections in about two years, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant pressures its stringent policy to curb each outbreak quickly. China reported 214 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms for Sunday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Monday. Also read | An Ukrainian boy travelled 1,000 km alone to Slovakia to get to safety That marks the highest daily caseload since Chinese authorities started in early March 2020 to count locally found infections and cases arriving from outside mainland separately. China's latest local virus flare-ups are tiny by global standards, and the country is sticking to its "dynamic-clearing" policy which requires local authorities to quickly identify and quarantine every infection and their close contacts and impose travel restrictions to cut off transmission. Also read | Oil spikes to 2008 highs as U.S., Europe mull Russian oil import ban, Iran delay The majority of Sunday's 214 local cases were found in the provinces of Guangdong, Jilin and Shandong. The number of locally transmitted asymptomatic cases rose to 312 for Sunday, the highest daily number since China stared in late March, 2020 to classify symptomless infections seperately from confirmed cases. There were no new deaths, leaving the death toll unchanged at 4,636. As of March 6, China had reported 111,195 cases with confirmed symptoms, including both local ones and those arriving from outside the mainland.

COVID-19: China daily local virus cases at two-year high

A new wave of corona virus cases are sweeping the country. 13 million residents of Xi'an are now under a lockdown new hot spots are emerging every day.

China's pandemic playboom failing?

As the coronavirus’ new variant, Omicron, is doubling up cases all around the world, China has also observed a surge in cases and has now started testing citizens.<o:p></o:p>

The Chinese city of Xi'an started a mass testing campaign on Tuesday after more than 40 new Covid cases were detected in the neighbouring areas. In order to ensure that the spread can be controlled in the upcoming festivities and a busy travel season, millions of locals were urged to come ahead and get tested for the deadly coronavirus.<o:p></o:p>

Xi’an is a northwestern city that houses nearly 13 million people. The authorities reported 42 new cases on Tuesday, taking the tally of cases in December to 91. This prompted an immediate start of mass testing programmes in the city.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-lab-leak-most-likely-source-of-covid-19-british-mps-told-437529">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-lab-leak-most-likely-source-of-covid-19-british-mps-told-437529/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

To break the chain of local outbreaks, the authorities have also closed in-person classes for school children. In addition to this, all large and indoor entertainment and recreation venues have also bene ordered to stay shut till further notice. <o:p></o:p>

Authorities are also urging locals to stay indoors unless necessary and avoid large gatherings at all costs. Locals are also being encouraged to get fully vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus as soon as possible, with mobile clinics popping up in different areas of the country.<o:p></o:p>

COVID-19 is not the only disease going through the streets of China. Xi’an locals are also being haunted by a rodent-borne disease haemorrhagic fever. The deadly disease took over the city in the beginning of the winter season.<o:p></o:p>

Authorities have urged people to exercise caution and stay calm, stressing that this disease can be prevented through proper vaccination.<o:p></o:p>

As the coronavirus’ new variant, Omicron, is doubling up cases all around the world, China has also observed a surge in cases and has now started testing citizens.

As the coronavirus’ new variant, Omicron, is doubling up cases all around the world, China has also observed a surge in cases and has now started testing citizens. The Chinese city of Xi'an started a mass testing campaign on Tuesday after more than 40 new Covid cases were detected in the neighbouring areas. In order to ensure that the spread can be controlled in the upcoming festivities and a busy travel season, millions of locals were urged to come ahead and get tested for the deadly coronavirus. Xi’an is a northwestern city that houses nearly 13 million people. The authorities reported 42 new cases on Tuesday, taking the tally of cases in December to 91. This prompted an immediate start of mass testing programmes in the city. WATCH | To break the chain of local outbreaks, the authorities have also closed in-person classes for school children. In addition to this, all large and indoor entertainment and recreation venues have also bene ordered to stay shut till further notice. Authorities are also urging locals to stay indoors unless necessary and avoid large gatherings at all costs. Locals are also being encouraged to get fully vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus as soon as possible, with mobile clinics popping up in different areas of the country. COVID-19 is not the only disease going through the streets of China. Xi’an locals are also being haunted by a rodent-borne disease haemorrhagic fever. The deadly disease took over the city in the beginning of the winter season. Authorities have urged people to exercise caution and stay calm, stressing that this disease can be prevented through proper vaccination.

China's Xi'an starts testing for millions as Covid cases surge

Kashgar, a remote city in China’s in the north-western region of Xinjiang detected more than 100 asymptomatic Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the regional health authority said.

The authorities registered 137 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases in Kashgar. Kashgar is an Ancient City well protected under a Chinese government-sponsored renovation project in 2010.

The new cases marked mainland China's first local infections since October 14, when one was detected in Qingdao. Xinjiang was the site of a local cluster in August, but no new cases had been found in the region since Aug. 15.

Kashgar launched a testing programme on Saturday night covering the region’s 4.75 million people. As of Sunday afternoon, more than 2.84 million people had been tested and the rest would be covered by Tuesday, the city government said in a statement.

The Kashgar government said on Sunday all schools except universities will be closed through Friday but supermarkets and shopping malls would remain open.

Four towns in the Kashgar region were identified as “high-risk” areas, according to a statement from Kashgar city authority on Sunday night, and stringent controls such as travel restrictions are expected.

China’s national health commission dispatched experts on Sunday to guide coronavirus control work in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar.

The novel coronavirus was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of last year. As of Saturday, mainland China had 85,790 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll stands at 4,634.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kashgar, a remote city in China’s in the north-western region of Xinjiang detected more than 100 asymptomatic Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the regional health authority said.

Kashgar, a remote city in China’s in the north-western region of Xinjiang detected more than 100 asymptomatic Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the regional health authority said. The authorities registered 137 new asymptomatic coronavirus cases in Kashgar. Kashgar is an Ancient City well protected under a Chinese government-sponsored renovation project in 2010. The new cases marked mainland China's first local infections since October 14, when one was detected in Qingdao. Xinjiang was the site of a local cluster in August, but no new cases had been found in the region since Aug. 15. Kashgar launched a testing programme on Saturday night covering the region’s 4.75 million people. As of Sunday afternoon, more than 2.84 million people had been tested and the rest would be covered by Tuesday, the city government said in a statement. The Kashgar government said on Sunday all schools except universities will be closed through Friday but supermarkets and shopping malls would remain open. Four towns in the Kashgar region were identified as “high-risk” areas, according to a statement from Kashgar city authority on Sunday night, and stringent controls such as travel restrictions are expected. China’s national health commission dispatched experts on Sunday to guide coronavirus control work in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. The novel coronavirus was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of last year. As of Saturday, mainland China had 85,790 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll stands at 4,634. (With inputs from agencies)

New coronavirus outbreak detected in China's Kashgar city

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COVID-19: Shanghai social media unpicks China's Covid lockdown story

COVID-19: China daily local virus cases at two-year high

China's pandemic playboom failing?

China's Xi'an starts testing for millions as Covid cases surge

New coronavirus outbreak detected in China's Kashgar city