Nearly 70 percent of the residents in the Chinese city of Shanghai remain under lockdown, despite a drop in the number of new coronavirus cases.

Authorities in the economic hub confirmed 18,901 new infections on Tuesday. It was the third day in a row that a decline was reported. It was also the first time that the number dropped below 20,000 in 13 days.

But the authorities said that about 16.35 million people were still unable to leave their housing compounds as of Tuesday.

About 7.85 million people have been allowed to make limited outings in areas where no infections have been confirmed for the past 14 days.

But those residents have been asked to avoid nonessential outings. Some say they have been unable to obtain permission from local officials to go out.

City authorities are allowing some companies to resume production in order to keep the economy going. But the companies must have thorough anti-infection measures in place.

Local media outlets reported on Tuesday that the US electric car maker Tesla resumed operations at its Shanghai plant, but many firms remain effectively shut down.

Some Japanese companies doing business in Shanghai are starting to feel the effects of the prolonged lockdown.