The U.S. Department of State ordered all non-emergency government staff in Shanghai to leave on Monday, in response to surging COVID-19 cases and China's tightening pandemic restrictions.
What they're saying: The department's advisory also urged American citizens to reconsider travel to China "due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws" and pandemic-related restrictions.
- "Do not travel to the PRC’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Jilin province, and Shanghai municipality due to COVID-19-related restrictions, including the risk of parents and children being separated," the statement said.
- "Reconsider travel to the PRC’s Hong Kong SAR due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws," it added.
Driving the news: Shanghai's 26 million residents have endured widespread food shortages, health care disruptions and mass censorship since the strict lockdown measures were implemented on March 28.
- The lockdown restrictions also include separating some children from parents who tested positive for COVID-19.
The big picture: Shanghai discharged upward of 11,000 recovered patients on Sunday, per AP.
- Chinese officials say lockdown measures will be lifted in areas with no new cases in the past 14 days following another round of testing, Time noted.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
