China places millions under lockdown under strict zero-COVID policy

China has placed tens of millions of people under lockdown to quash a flare-up of the coronavirus under its strict zero-COVID policy. The closures announced this week are in Hebei province, Shenzhen, Dalian and Tianjin, and include the world’s largest wholesale electronics market. The shut downs will delay the start of school for some of China’s children, and come at a cost to China’s economy. Mainland China reported 1,717 new domestically transmitted COVID infections for Aug. 29. Meanwhile, cases also have been rising in Hong Kong, which does not have a zero-COVID policy and is expecting up to 10,000 infections this week.