As the more infectious Omicron variant spreads, daily case numbers in China have officially risen above 10,000 for the first time.

Earlier this week, lockdowns in China's second-most populous city, Shanghai, were extended to cover its entire population of 25 million people.

Residents are banned from leaving their homes, even to shop for groceries, and many have taken to social media to say they're running out of food.

A drone appears: “Please comply w covid restrictions. Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.” That happened after people protest against lack of food on their balconies.

Yesterday, it was reported a dog was beaten to death by a health worker in the city. A video of the beating went viral after being shared on social media.

In the clip, a Covid-19 prevention worker dressed in protective gear can be seen chasing the corgi down the street before hitting it with a shovel.

The capital city, Beijing, has also locked some people inside their homes. Yesterday, a viral Reddit post, written by a Beijing resident, described challenges similar to those that have been plaguing Shanghai.

The Reddit user said Beijing had been hit by a "state of panic", leading authorities to impose an "extreme lockdown without warning".

"I live in Beijing. At about 10am, motion sensors were placed on my doors to track my movement," they said.

"It rings when I open the door and I'm forced back inside. I have no food because they never told me this would happen. Why didn't they warn us beforehand?"

Another commenter, who lives in Jilin, said they had been quarantined for one month and would likely remain trapped inside for a second.

And a third said the situation in Shanghai was worse, with people "literally starving".

"If Beijing is getting this bad, (other) places are getting exponentially worse," the original poster acknowledged.

"There is no consideration for lockdown. None. Healthy people like me with a bit of food have it lucky, I can only imagine what it's like for people with infants or prior health conditions." ■