China expands COVID-19 restrictions and confines almost a million people in the east of the country

Oct. 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The city of Zhengzhou, in eastern China, joins the growing restrictions that the Asian giant is imposing in the face of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Almost a million residents of the Zhongyuan district — one of the most populous in the city — have been ordered to stay home from Monday, except for times when they have to undergo coronavirus tests, and non-essential businesses will be closed, according to local media.

In this city, the iPhone manufacturing center is located, so the situation in the region once again threatens to interrupt its production within the framework of President Xi Jinping’s ‘Covid Zero’ policy.

China is clinging to the pillars of Covid Zero, which consist of lockdowns and mass testing, to control its biggest outbreak in two months, despite the high cost. This policy has slowed growth in the world’s second-largest economy and disrupted global supply chains as major manufacturing hubs – from cars to phones to Christmas trees – face disruption from lockdowns and reopenings, reports Bloomberg.

The extension of the restrictions surprises the neighbors, since the authorities in previous days said that there would not be a total closure in the city.

“Residents and staff coming (returning) to Zheng are requested to conscientiously abide by the rules on epidemic prevention and control, obey the job requirements, and seriously deal with rule violations that cause risk transmission according to with the regulations”, reads the statement from the authorities.