Desperation amid food shortages in Shanghai as Covid lockdown bites

Lockdown had been due to end on Tuesday, leaving residents unprepared to be indefinitely housebound

Stories of desperation are emerging in Shanghai as the city enters its third day of strict lockdown, with increasingly widespread reports of residents being unable to access food, medicine and other essentials.

The city's Covid lockdown was extended indefinitely earlier this week after staggered restrictions failed to contain infections. City officials had promised the staggered lockdown would end on 5 April, leaving many residents of the Chinese megacity unprepared to be indefinitely housebound.