China's Covid epicentre shifts to Guangzhou

New coronavirus cases surged in Guangzhou and other Chinese cities, official data showed on Tuesday, with the global manufacturing hub becoming China's latest Covid-19 epicentre and testing the city's ability to avoid a Shanghai-style lockdown.

Nationwide, new locally transmitted infections climbed to 7,475 on November 7, according to China's health authority, up from 5,496 the day before and the highest since May 1. Guangzhou accounted for nearly a third of the new infections.

The increase was modest by global standards but significant for China, where outbreaks are quickly tackled when they surface. Economically vital cities, including the capital Beijing, are 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.

The yuan weakened against the dollar and Chinese stocks slipped on Tuesday as the rising Covid case load eroded optimism about China's reopening its borders, shut to most visitors including tourists since 2020.