China announced constraints at Shenzhen port amid spreading COVID-19 outbreak

The restrictions will last until March 20

China placed the 17.5 million residents of the southern city of Shenzhen into lockdown for at least a week, according to the government’s statement.

The lockdown announced on March 13 will last until March 20. Residents will be barred from leaving Shenzhen – home to the headquarters of tech giants Huawei and Tencent, as well as one of China’s busiest ports – except in limited situations.

Shenzhen Yantian Port remains operational, though with tighter COVID controls.

Shenzhen’s lockdown is the largest since China effectively shut in around 40 million people in Wuhan and its surrounding province at the start of the pandemic.