CITY IN COVID SHUTDOWN

AROUND 21 million people in the

Chinese city of Chengdu effectively went into lockdown on Thursday as authorities raced to stop a new Covid-19 outbreak. China is the last major economy wedded to a zero-Covid policy, stamping out virus flare-ups with snap shutdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines. Each household will be allowed to send one person out to buy groceries and essential goods a day, provided they have tested negative in the previous 24 hours, the notice said. | AFP