Chinese city of Guangzhou shuts schools in battle with Covid surge

China has stuck to its “zero-Covid” strategy of handling outbreaks with strict isolation and mass testing, despite complaints in Shanghai over shortages of food and medical services

Workers in protective gear watch over residents line up for the COVID-19 test at a residential block, Monday, April 11, 2022, in Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong province. The manufacturing hub of Guangzhou began tightly restricting departures and arrivals Monday as eastern China battles the country’s latest major COVID outbreak. (Chinatopix/AP)

The manufacturing hub of Guangzhou shut schools and closed itself to most arrivals on Monday as China battles a major Covid-19 surge in its big eastern cities.

Shanghai has taken the brunt of the rise, with another 26,087 cases announced on Monday, only 914 of which showed symptoms. The city of 26 million is under a tight lockdown, with many residents confined to their homes for up to three weeks.