There is worry about the threat of a huge number of deaths, while the US voiced concern about virus mutations and the economic impacts, both at home and abroad

Stocks in China suffered their biggest fall in seven weeks, while Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney and most of Southeast Asia also declined. Indian markets, however, enjoyed a small rise.

The leader manufacturer of chips for automobiles has shut its plant in Beijing after workers caught Covid last week

China's rocky exit from zero-Covid has forced banks and financiers to dust off plans devised to cope with the health crisis, injecting greater of unpredictability into markets

Health officials are concerned about rural areas, which are likely to see the return of many family members next month, but have had little exposure to the virus since the pandemic erupted

There are fears of severe health impacts and major economic disruption as Beijing and other cities are experiencing huge waves of Covid cases

China is likely to roll out a fourth Covid shot – or second booster – this week for elderly citizens aged 60 and above, plus high-risk groups with serious underlying disease, the Global Times says.

The Chinese capital has been hit hard by a Covid outbreak after its dramatic U-turn on testing and quarantine rules, but the government is urging people not to worry

Firms using a range of strategies to try to keep operations running while Covid spreads at a rapid pace through some Chinese cities

Analysts say China is ill-prepared for a fresh wave of infections, with little exposure to a disease kept largely in check until now

Cities that were already battling their most severe outbreaks saw a sharp decrease in economic activity after rules such as regular testing were scrapped

Beijing said on Saturday it would stop checking truckers and shipping crews that carry goods around the country for Covid-19, such as masks and medicines.