Beijing, April 4 ( /Sputnik) The People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) has sent over 2,000 doctors to Shanghai, which is currently facing the largest Covid-19 lockdown in two years, to assist in fighting against the infection, the Chinese Defence Ministry said on Monday. “The PLA has sent over 2,000 medical workers to assist Shanghai in anti-epidemic measures,” the statement said. Over the past day, Shanghai detected 425 local Covid-19 cases and another 8,581 asymptomatic infections. On March 28, Shanghai introduced a new lockdown scheme. Areas east and south of the Huangpu River entered a lockdown on last Monday, which was to reopen on Friday morning just as western districts began a five-day shutdown. Nevertheless, the city government has expanded the curbs in the eastern districts, so the city found itself locked down completely on Friday. The operation of public and private traffic is shut down, and the bridges over the river are also closed for the lockdown period. China pursues stringent zero-Covid policy, which is now tested by the wave of the Omicron strain. Shanghai has faced a surge in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks, and the authorities redirected some international passenger flights to other Chinese cities from March 21 to May 1 to relieve the Covid-19 prevention and control sector. /SPUTNIK VP SY 1420