China is one of the few places in the world still resorting to harsh measures to keep the disease from spreading.

The latest lockdown started on Monday in Fenyang city in northern China's Shanxi province after a preliminary positive case was found in citywide testing the previous day, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

In the nearby Inner Mongolia region, the capital Hohhot announced that outside vehicles and passengers would be prohibited from entering the city starting on Tuesday.

Hohhot has recorded more than 2,000 cases over about 12 days.

Hohhot has recorded more than 2,000 cases over about 12 days.

China reported 1,890 new Covid-19 infections on Oct 11, of which 417 were symptomatic and 1,473 were asymptomatic,the National Health Commission said on Wednesday (Oct 12).

That is compared with 2,249 new cases a day earlier – 491 symptomatic and 1,758 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

There were no new deaths, the same as a day earlier, keeping the nation's fatalities at 5,226.As of Oct 11, mainland China had confirmed 254,483 cases with symptoms.

The southern technology hub of Shenzhen reported 29 new locally transmitted Covid-19 infections, compared with 33 a day before, the Guangdong health authority said.