Tokyo | Australia and other foreign consulates in Shanghai are reportedly urging the Chinese authorities not to separate parents and children testing positive for COVID-19 as the city prepares for a prolonged lockdown and some households say they are struggling to order food.

As cases in China’s commercial hub continue to rise, Shanghai authorities have extended what was expected to be a four-day lockdown indefinitely. Many of the city’s 25 million residents are not allowed to leave their homes for any reason other than a medical emergency or to be tested. This includes exercising, shopping or walking pets.