A community worker helps local residents register information before nucleic acid test in Changning District of east China's Shanghai, April 1, 2022. Shanghai has launched a nucleic acid testing campaign in areas west of the Huangpu River from Friday amid the second phase of the city's closed-off management.Photo:Xinhua

 Three officials in Shanghai's Pudong New Area have been dismissed from their administrative posts for dereliction of duty and failure to control the COVID-19 outbreak, Shanghai authorities said on Friday. So far, at least five officials have been punished amid this wave of the Omicron outbreak.

Cai Yongqiang, Party secretary of Beicai town in Pudong, and Xu Jianjun, governor of Beicai town, were both dismissed from their positions due to their poor performance in epidemic prevention and control, according to the authorities. 

Huang Wei, deputy director of the Yangjing sub-district office in Pudong, was also removed for dereliction of duty and failure to curb the epidemic, the authorities said.

Also, a state enterprise official and a hospital director in Shanghai have been dismissed from their administrative posts and positions within the Communist Party of China for poor performance in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak. 

From March 1 to Thursday, 131,524 COVID-19 positive cases were reported including 127,131 asymptomatic cases in Shanghai, the authorities said on Friday. Shanghai has entered a crucial stage to combat the Omicron outbreak, and Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan called for a close focus on key sections such as closed-loop management, epidemiological investigation and transfer of cases.