In signs that the country may be over the worst of its Omicron surge, restrictions began easing in two of China's largest cities, Shanghai and Beijing.Meanwhile, in the United States, where cases have been slowly but steadily rising, the more transmissible BA.2.12.1 subvariant now makes up nearly 60% of sequenced samples, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today.Eased restrictions raise hopes for economic reliefShanghai, home to 26 million people, has been on lockdown since Apr 1, but yesterday city officials announced that measures will be relaxed starting tomorrow for low-risk areas, according to Reuters.As one of China's major financial and industrial hubs, the lockdowns have been a drag on the country's economy, and the long duration of the lockdown has frayed the nerves of the city's residents.
The tough measures, part of China's "zero COVID" policy, have also led to problems with global supply chains.Meanwhile, Beijing—affected later than Shanghai—has battled a similar Omicron outbreak, but lockdowns were limited to certain hard-hit districts.
Yesterday, Beijing officials said the outbreak was under control and allowed shoppers to return to malls and workers to offices as part of a partial reopening, according to the Associated Press.
The city's restaurants remain closed, except for takeout and delivery options.In other global developments:At the World Health Organization (WHO) executive board meeting yesterday, the group agreed for form a new committee to speed the response to health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Reuters.