Guangzhou's COVID outbreak deepens as more lockdowns loom in China
BEIJING (Reuters) - COVID-19 cases sharply escalated in Guangzhou and other major Chinese cities, official data showed on Tuesday, with the global manufacturing hub fighting its worst flare-up ever and testing its ability to avoid a Shanghai-style citywide lockdown.
New locally transmitted infections climbed to 7,475 nationwide on Nov. 7, according to China's health authority, up from 5,496 the day before and the highest since May 1.
The increase was modest by global standards but significant for China, where outbreaks are quickly tackled when they surface. Economically vital cities, including the Chinese capital Beijing, have jumped on the rising infections, demanding more PCR tests for residents and locking down neighbourhoods and even districts in some cases.
The sharp rebound will test China's ability to keep its COVID measures surgical and targeted, and challenge the expectations of investors that the world's second-largest economy could soon reopen its borders or even back off from its zero-tolerance approach.
Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, reported 2,377 new local cases for Nov. 7, up from 1,971 the previous day. It was a dramatic jump from just double-digit increases two weeks ago, as the sprawling southern Chinese city, dubbed the "factory floor of the world", battles its most serious outbreak ever.
Many of its districts, including Haizhu at the heart of city, have imposed varying levels of curbs and lockdowns. But, so far, Guangzhou has resisted a blanket lockdown like the one in Shanghai earlier this year.
Shanghai, currently not facing a COVID resurgence, went into a lockdown in April and May after reporting several thousands of new infections daily in the last week of March.
