China: Healthcare worker beats dog to death after owner tests positive for COVID-19

A dog was beaten to death by a health worker in the Chinese municipality of Shanghai after its owner tested positive for coronavirus. The incident has shed light on pandemic-related brutalities across China and the world. Shanghai, which is the financial hub of China has seen a spike in coronavirus cases in recent times, sending hundreds of thousands of people into battle for basics. 

The clip, which appears to have been filmed by a resident of a nearby building, shows a COVID prevention worker, dressed in protective gear, chasing the corgi dog down a street. He is then seen hitting it three times with a shovel. It then shows the dog lying motionless. Later pictures show the animal being carried in a plastic bag. The incident took place in the Pudong district of Shanghai. 

Shanghai under lockdown

Shanghai has a total population of about 26 million. As the Xi Jinping administration continues to move ahead with its zero COVID policy, city authorities have imposed a lockdown. In recent weeks, the city has reported a sharp strike of cases. On Sunday, the city reported a record of close to 25,000, bringing the total in the current wave post 1,70,000. The lockdown is hitting small-scale businesses and restaurants, which are being forced to shut down. Big companies like Tesla, as well as Chinese and Taiwanese firms, are waiting to resume operations in the country. 

A couple of days ago, the government forced 40 companies to suspend their operations in Shanghai and other regions, CNN reported. Over 90 Taiwanese companies have reported that their business was affected by the lockdowns, including printed circuit board manufacturer Unimicron Technology and top bike maker Giant Manufacturing. Notably, the World Bank and some investment banks have recently warned about the damage caused by China's zero-COVID policy to the economy's growth. The lockdown in Shanghai comes at a time when the country is already struggling with its economy. On Friday, Shanghai reported a total of 21,000 cases, and the majority of patients were asymptomatic.

(Image: Twitter/Donnawonghk/pixabay)