Zhejiang – The First COVID‑19 Cluster in 2025
Why It’s Worth a Head‑Turn
When Zhejiang Province, home to more than 64 million residents and a cornucopia of export‑oriented SMEs, suddenly rips off the curtain on a new COVID cluster, the ripple felt across the country. On December 12, local health authorities announced 74 symptomatic cases in the province, a sharp jump from the previous day’s 38. By that moment, the total for the latest outbreak had climbed to 173.
Rapid Spread in the Three Big Cities
The three major cities at the heart of the outbreak – Ningbo, Shaoxing, and Hangzhou – saw cases “grow at a relatively rapid speed,” according to Health Commission spokesperson Wu Liangyou. Meanwhile, the national picture stayed largely stable, but authorities are tightening the leash to catch infections early and cut the risk of a runaway spike.
Where the Economy Takes a Breather
- Over a dozen Chinese‑listed companies slumped production in parts of Zhejiang because post‑trials Covid controls were suddenly unforgiving.
- The region’s sting‑in‑hand micro‑enterprises – a big chunk of the exports wheel – were forced to shiver when the new lockdowns rolled out.
- Flight schedules got hit hard: Ningbo’s Lishe International forced a halt to all Shenzhen flights on Sunday, and Beijing services were cancelled from December 6.
- Hangzhou sat on the edge of a one‑flight daily allowance, a frustrating reminder that your next vacation might be postponed.
Everyday Life on Hold
More than 50,000 residents are now crammed in centrally‑run quarantine facilities. The province is monitoring the health of roughly half‑a‑million people, a numbers rush that turns “social distancing” into a nationwide football match. Meanwhile, travel agencies have been called to retire, and province‑level sporting events are on pause.
Extra Measures in the Quiet Spots
Wenzhou and Yiwu, the only Zhejiang cities not reporting local cases yet, have shut down bars, chess parlours, and card‑parlours. It’s a reminder that a lull can still be a full‑blown lockdown.
Other Regions and the Bigger Picture
In the same week, Shaanxi flagged just one new case and Inner Mongolia added five, but the nationwide count for mainland China remained at 99,780 symptomatic cases as of December 12. The death toll stayed at 4,636.
“We’re dodging the virus like hopping over the red carpet,” one local supplier quipped. “Just as we can’t let the pandemic take the stage entirely, the next match just isn’t scheduled yet.”
