China shuts down world's largest electronics market in Shenzhen amid COVID-19 surge

China on Monday shut down the world's largest electronics wholesale market as the coronavirus cases in the southern city of Shenzhen spiked significantly despite the controversial 'zero-COVID' policy. An official notice was sent to the traders and sellers in the market stating that the technology hub will be closed till Thursday to contain the COVID-19 spread. According to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted the biggest electronic operator Huaqiang Electronics World, all the tenants in the area were asked to work from home.  

Giant telecommunications equipment corporations such as Huawei Technologies Co, China's top chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp and Apple supplier Foxconn Technology Group, were ordered to follow a "closed-loop" system for at least a week as the government attempted to contain the fast spread of the coronavirus. Hong Kong, situated close to the Shenzhen city border of China, also witnessed a drastic increase in COVID-19 cases. As many as 9,668 fatalities were recorded, and 1,522,460 have been infected. 

China altered quarantine duration last month

Just last month, China simplified the processes of international flight visitors after altering the quarantine duration for inbound travellers from the previous 2-day isolation to 7 days in approved hotels followed by 3-days of isolation at home, PTI reported. The policy has caused a sharp rise in the number of flights linking China with other nations, particularly the US, and the number of individuals leaving the country, touting it as evidence of China progressively reopening its borders to the rest of the world. The decision to reopen the country came due to the looming financial consequences of the zero-COVID strategy imposed by the Xi Jinping government that have affected the nation's revenue.

As instances of a rise in the COVID-19 cases surfaced in PRC, it was reported that the contagious respiratory virus had also affected animals such as the fishes. As per the government's instructions, the fishermen became part of the routine COVID-19 test and the fish were required to pass the nucleic acid test in the coastal Chinese city of Xiamen. Chinese authorities worked round the clock to ensure that no possibility was left for the virus to enter the city.