Fresh lockdowns in China as local Covid-19 infections spread to 11 provinces

Authorities in northern China are reimposing lockdowns and other emergency measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, with health officials warning of a worsening outbreak after the country recorded more than 100 cases across 11 provinces over the last week. 'Since October 17, there have been multiple scattered local outbreaks in China, and they're expanding rapidly,' Mi Feng, a spokesman at the National Health Commission (NHC), said at a news conference Sunday. 'There is an increasing risk that the outbreak will spread even further.' The rapid spread comes despite about 75% of China's population -- or more than a billion people -- being fully vaccinated, according to Mi.