Shanghai, May 11: Shanghai officials will over the next few days further restrict access to food and hospitals in some parts of the city as part of the most severe phase of its extended lockdown yet, BBC reported.

The restrictions include only permitting government food deliveries, not allowing residents to "step out" of their front doors and requiring approval from the authorities for anyone other than emergency cases to access hospitals. Shanghai Lockdown: Video Shows People Screaming Out of Their Windows After Not Being Allowed to Step Out of Their Houses For Over a Week Amid COVID-19 Lockdown in China.

Neighbours of Covid-19 cases and others living close by are also being forced into government quarantine facilities, BBC reported. Shanghai is now in its seventh week of city-wide restrictions.

Confirmed cases have fallen significantly from their peak, but authorities have not yet been able to hit the target of what they call "societal zero", where no cases are reported outside of quarantine facilities.

Despite the tougher measures, Shanghai officials insist that people living in half of the city's districts are now free to leave their homes and walk around, the report said. State media has shown propaganda videos of departing medical workers visiting city landmarks together and taking photographs.

The BBC is already aware of some cases where residents have had difficulties in getting emergency ambulances to come quickly, with some patients forced to use private cars to get to the hospital.

Authorities have also stepped up measures aimed at people who live close to positive cases, even if these close contacts test negative. They are now sweeping up large groups of people in apartment buildings who live on the same floor or even just in the same building as those who've tested positive, BBC reported.

Footage has also emerged on social media showing extreme disinfection taking place inside homes from where people have been removed after testing positive. Widespread use of industrial scale disinfection has been a key tactic used by the authorities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2022 06:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).