U.S. consulate staff in China help Marines running low on rations （ EN ) (CN)

HANGHAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Generous colleagues helped out seven U.S. Marines at the U.S. consulate in Shanghai who were running out of fresh food because of a strict coronavirus lockdown, according to posts in private consulate message groups.

Shanghai has been hit by food shortages as the citywide lockdown puts pressure on delivery staff amid surging COVID-19 numbers.

A U.S. consulate employee issued a plea on the WeChat platform on Tuesday for staff to spare some food for the Marines. He was not acting in an official capacity, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

"Marines have depleted their food and can no longer get delivery," the employee told colleagues living in Shanghai.

The Marines only had vacuum-sealed rations left, the employee said in the message, seen by Reuters and verified by two people.

"I know we are all running short on supplies. If you can spare a meal's worth or two for 7 extra mouths, they’d be very appreciative," the employee said.

Staff responded with supplies, a person said in a later message, adding: "The marines are beyond thankful."

The U.S. consulate in Shanghai declined to comment on the Marines and their rations.

"We are actively working with and assisting our citizens experiencing disruptions related to recent COVID-19 outbreaks in China," the mission said in a statement.

Marines guard U.S. diplomatic missions around the world.

Many Shanghai residents have been waking at dawn to work the phones in the hope of securing food supplies from over-subscribed delivery apps.

Some shoppers say the only way to get an order in is for everyone in the family to click "buy" on their phones at the same time, and even then, some families can't secure a delivery for up to four days, several city residents said.

美国驻上海总领事馆一员工在微信倡议为已只剩真空包军粮的海军陆战队士兵匀出口粮。“我知道我们都余粮不多，但如果你能为这七人少吃几口，他们会非常感激的。”随后群内有人响应号召。 美国驻上海领事馆拒绝就海军陆战队及其吃饭问题发表评论，仅表示，“我们正在积极与我们的公民合作，并协助我们的公民。” 美国海军陆战队负责美国在世界各地的外交使团的安保工作。 许多上海居民在黎明时分起床开工，希望从买菜软件中获得食品供应。据一些居民说，获得订单的唯一方法是让全家人同时在手机上点击“购买”按钮，有居民表示，即使抢到了菜，四天过去，也无法确保货送到手上。