October 18, 2022 – Zhengzhou has locked down one of its most-populated districts to tame a COVID-19 flare-up, with creeping restrictions throughout China underscoring the constant threat of disruption companies face while the country sticks to “zero COVID.” Almost 1 million residents of Zhongyuan District were ordered to stay at home starting on October 17, except for when they need to undergo COVID-19 testing, and non-essential businesses have been shut, a government notice said. The city in Henan Province reported six new local cases for Sunday, down from a recent peak of 40 on Oct 9. Nationwide, cases declined to 697, the lowest in two weeks, as outbreaks in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang came under control. Beijing posted 13 new cases, and Shanghai had 32. China is sticking to the zero-COVID pillars of lockdowns and mass testing to tame its biggest flare-up in two months, despite the heavy cost. The policy has dragged on growth and roiled global supply chains as important manufacturing hubs contend with the disruption of shutdowns.