The exams, known as gaokao, will now be conducted from July 7 to 9 – a month behind the original schedule – as students carry on with their online classes because schools remain closed, Shanghai Vice-Mayor Chen Qun said in a press briefing on Saturday as quoted by The South China Morning Post.

He said entrance exams to middle school in Shanghai have also been delayed for a month to July 18 and 19.

“After carefully assessing the current situation amid the coronavirus outbreak, we’ve made the decision to defer the exams after receiving approval from the Ministry of Education,” Chen was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

He also indicated that the municipal government would unveil a time frame for reopening schools once the pandemic has been contained.

Authorities in Shanghai have imposed strict COVID-19 measures in recent weeks to combat the rise in cases.