The Chinese government says the number of new COVID cases reached about 38,000 on Saturday, hitting a new record for the fourth consecutive day and topping 4,000 in the capital Beijing for the first time.

Protests against the government's restrictive zero-COVID policy have taken place in Beijing and other Chinese cities.

Videos of people in Shanghai chanting "We do not want PCR tests" have been posted online.

The public anger was sparked by a rumor that the people who died in a fire in Xinjiang's capital city Urumqi on Thursday could not escape in time because their high-rise apartment building was partially locked down.

Reuters news agency footage shows people gathering at Shanghai's Wulumuqi Road -- which is named after Urumqi -- to mourn the 10 victims.

The protesters held signs that read, "Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves" -- a line from China's national anthem.