Following a series of protests in China, the government has eased some of its ‘zero-COVID’ measures to contain the virus.

Districts in Shanghai and Guangzhou have been released from the imposed lockdown measures, on Thursday.

There was also an announcement from the country’s vice-premier, Sun Chunlan that the country was facing a “new situation”.

The protests against the ‘zero-COVID’ policy had started as a result of a fire in a high-rise block in western Xinjiang, killing 10 people.

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Although police officers were put on the streets to see to the prevention of protests in some areas, on Wednesday there was a clash between the police and the protesters leading to the immediate removal of restrictions in certain cities.

Reuters also reported that persons with confirmed Covid cases with mild symptoms are also being allowed to isolate at home rather than having the buildings and communities on lockdown.

One of China’s most senior pandemic officials, the vice-premier said the virus’ ability to cause disease was weakening.

According to a Reuters report, she said, “The country is facing a new situation and new tasks in endemic prevention and control as the pathogenicity of the Omicron virus weakens, more people are vaccinated and experience in containing the virus is accumulated.”