A staff member takes a swab sample from a woman for nucleic acid test in Huangpu, Shanghai, May 8, 2022. Photo:Xinhua

The transmission risk of the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai has been effectively curbed, and the gene sequencing results show the viruses that caused rapid spread since March 1 are Omicron's BA.2 and BA.2.2 mutations, with no new variants found, according to the Shanghai health authorities on Wednesday.

The risk of transmission at the community level has been effectively contained as fewer and fewer positive cases were detected outside the quarantined areas, Wu Huanyu, deputy director of Shanghai's Center for Disease Control said at Wednesday's press briefing. 

Wu said the trend of the epidemic is stable and improved, but the city should stick to the preventive and control measures as any relaxation could cause a rebound. According to Wu, the city has been focused on the key regions including the old residential communities and urban villages.

On Tuesday, the city reported 228 local COVID-19 cases and 1,259 local asymptomatic infections, with all the positive cases detected under quarantine management, Zhao Dandan, deputy director of the Shanghai health commission, said at Wednesday's press briefing.

Zhao has stressed the importance to stick to the dynamic zero-COVID policy and to focus on streamlined measures to win the decisive battle against the epidemic.

As of Tuesday, there are 379 patients being treated in hospitals in severe conditions and 71 in critical conditions, Zhao said. The city reported seven new COVID-19-related deaths on Tuesday, the average age of the patients being 87.3. All deceased patients had preexisting conditions, according to Zhao.

Zhao added that only one of the seven patients had received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and their deaths were caused by their preexisting conditions. 

So far eight districts and some streets in Pudong New Area have effectively curbed the virus transmission at the community level, according to health authorities.

As of Tuesday, over 17.97 million residents were classified under "precaution-level," which means that they could be allowed to move freely within certain regions at certain times, according to the authorities.

The authorities have also made it known that so far there are 48 designated hospitals for COVID-19 patients treatment in the city, with about 25,000 beds, including over 500 beds especially designed for children.