Covid-19: China's Wuhan shuts some businesses, transport due to new cases

China's central metropolis, Wuhan, temporarily shut some businesses and public transport in a district with almost a million people on Wednesday, as the city where the pandemic first emerged raised vigilance after several new infections.

China, heavily invested in its "dynamic Covid-zero" policy, relies on mass testing, quick restrictions on business activity and people's movements, and strict quarantine of cases to block nascent clusters from widening. This strategy has helped Wuhan and other areas in the country to keep the number of cases in check, but harsh lockdowns during major outbreaks and the fear of potential repeated curbs— whenever new cases are reported— have dented the economy, business confidence, and people's willingness to travel.

Wuhan's district of Jiangxia, with over 900,000 residents, said its main urban areas were to enter a three-day restriction from Wednesday onwards, during which it would ban many large group events and dining at restaurants, close various public entertainment venues, agricultural product marketplaces and small clinics, and suspend bus and subway services. It also urged residents not to leave the area during the three day-restriction period, and encouraged travellers to avoid entry.

The order came quickly after Jiangxia authorities said that they had detected two cases during regular testing drives, late on Tuesday, and found two more from the screening of individuals who came in close contact with infection.

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