Officials in Chinese cities and provinces across the country are pulling no punches in stamping out sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks as winter nears, quickly closing venues and enforcing longer temporary lockdowns on millions of people.
Cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day and pressuring the country's controversial zero-COVID policy, which has hamstrung the economy and exasperated its citizens.
Total cases in Guangzhou rose to 1,110 from Oct. 24-30 from 402 in the previous seven-day period. The threat of a major lockdown would rattle the city and harken back to the nightmarish two-month lockdown Shanghai experienced a few months ago.the entire resort from Oct. 31 due to COVID prevention measures in the city.
Datong, which recorded 288 cases from Oct. 27-30, has enforced stricter isolation and management of hotels, key industries and its railway. Some officials in the city have been punished for lax enforcement of COVID rules, according to local media reports.