Guangzhou’s COVID Blitz: Mass Testing Gets Us Back on Track
Why 2,000+ Cases Made Us All Re‑wake Up
After a quiet month, the southern Chinese city hit a scary double‑digit surge—over 2,000 new infections for two straight days. The spike left Guangzhou’s 19‑million residents in a tight spot, sparking a plan that would see half the city stampeded into testing centers.
Who’s on the Test List?
- Haizhu – The hotbed of most cases, now on lockdown from Saturday to Friday.
- Tianhe – Just north of Haizhu, the first district watching the numbers climb.
- Plus four other districts embroiled in the nationwide effort.
Inside the Lockdown: A Resident’s Day
“My compound in Tianhe was sealed off as of yesterday,” says Jason Li. “Everyone was told not to step out—nothing as clear about how long this will last.” He jokes, “I’m grateful for my recent grocery haul. Stocked up? Check. Lockdown? Check. Hope (you forgot that word)?”
Lily Li, also from Guangzhou, adds, “It’s a surprise that Tianhe’s only now catching fire,” she says. “The city’s epidemic has taken a turn for the worse in the last two days.
Numbers that Matter
On November 8, Guangzhou recorded 2,637 locally transmitted COVID cases, up from 2,377 the day before. That was nearly a third of China’s 8,176 new local infections that day—proof that the city’s outbreak is among the country’s most serious.
Economic toll
<img alt="" data-caption="A trader moves goods through the Guotai Business City trading centre in Guangzhou's Sanyuanli district, following the ease of restrictions on trade buildings in the city, after the outbreak of Covid-19, on June 17, 2020.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”5db5db5c-7777-455a-a03e-ff857a01ea7c” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/20220911_guangzhou_mall_reuters.jpeg”/>
China’s Factory Prices Take a Tumble, Thanks to Fierce COVID Controls
October saw the first drop in factory gate prices since December 2020—yes, the big tick to the downside! The nationwide tightening of anti‑virus measures has put a dent in consumer demand, and the inflation curve is flattening as people stay away from the consumer jungle due to strict COVID curbs.
Foxconn Keeps the Playbook the Same
Across central China, Apple’s main beef supplier Foxconn decided to stick to its closed‑loop model—staff living on-site, cut off from the outside world—even after the local economic zone declared a seven‑day lockdown lift. The teaser? The plant’s staff still operate in a mini‑town‑in‑a‑town, all inside the factory perimeter.
- Because this is a closed loop, the workforce, under a strict “no outside contact” rule, collaborates without stepping into the public laundry or dog park.
- Foxconn itself has stayed a bit tight‑lipped, refusing to share the count of infections, and hasn’t commented on how the sick ones are feeling.
- As a result, iPhone production has taken a hit, and Apple has warned that shipments of the pricey iPhone 14 will likely dip.
The Real Numbers Are a Mystery
COVID case counts in China are relatively low, especially when compared to the rest of the globe. Still, the response has been “relentless.” Mass testing for large swaths of the population has become a regular, and typically free, routine—although a few local governments are starting to charge back and shoulder the cost once local coffers tighten up.
Testing on Pause in Henan Province
A testing company in Xuchang, Henan, told reporters that it would cease all testing activities from Friday onward. The reason? Authorities skipped paying instead of the company’s usual routine; when Mom’s paycheck never lands, the taxes don’t come either.
In a nutshell, China’s battle against the virus is still on, but the economic cost is becoming painfully clearer. While the virus rings the bell, the financial ring might be louder—especially for China’s manufacturing giants and tech tabs like Apple.
