New COVID-19 variant surge; Shanghai and Hong Kong are the most affected

Shanghai in China is seeing an unprecedented increase in COVID cases. As a result, the government has put all its 26 million residents under lockdown. 

The lockdown is China’s single-biggest city-wide imposition of the restrictions since the pandemic began.

The daily tally crossed 20,000 Wednesday, per the National Health Commission. 

Experts have dubbed this one of the biggest outbreaks since the Wuhan incident in 2019.

Coffin shortages in Hong Kong
Funeral authorities in Hong Kong grapple with coffin shortages as the city is dealing with a huge number of COVID deaths. “I have never seen so many bodies piled up together,” said funeral director Lok Chung, 37, who has been working round the clock.