Public security departments also announced a surge in crackdowns on COVID rule violations in March, with cities and counties publishing 80 notices on their Weibo accounts, compared with seven in January and 10 in February.

Most infractions involve citizens trying to skirt rules such as reporting travels on a health app, falsifying COVID test results, and sneaking out of locked-down neighbourhoods.

Assaults on health workers also surged.

Police also reported arrests of citizens who were “venting off dissatisfaction” and using “inappropriate language” related to the pandemic.