infectious disease expert Zhang Wenhong -- who has been called "China's Fauci" after US disease expert Anthony Fauci -- also said in a blog post that the city's medical resources were becoming "strained" as cases climb, but he expects the metropolis to turn the corner soon.
Zhang's comments may indicate officials' growing tolerance for those questioning zero-Covid as patience with draconian lockdowns wears thin. "In the future pandemic fight, maintaining normal life should be placed in a position of equal importance with (virus screening)," Zhang posted on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform Thursday. "We hope that we can minimise the impact on our lives as much as possible." The post was liked, reposted or commented on more than two million times by midday Thursday.
China is experiencing its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the start of the pandemic more than two years ago, with Shanghai, the country's biggest city, an epicentre.
More than 4,800 new cases were reported nationwide Thursday -- a figure that while minuscule compared to other countries, has frustrated Beijing's zero-Covid strategy of keeping cases low through targeted lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions.