Shanghai hunkers down for final Covid battle, Beijing outbreak stubborn | Pics

Shanghai was tightening its Covid-19 lockdown for what it hoped would be the final week of its battle with the virus before it could gradually begin to ease restrictions.

Beijing continues to fight its much smaller but persistent outbreak.

China's commercial hub of 25 million hoped to come out of its painful six-week-old lockdown later this month

Authorities on Saturday were hoping one last round of tightening would eradicate the last infections of the country's worst Covid outbreak of the pandemic.

Cases found in relatively freer communities are being closely watched for clues on where the outbreak is heading.