A sprawling quarantine centre with more than 4,000 rooms is being thrown up in Zhengding county in northern China in response to a Covid-19 outbreak in Shijiazhuang, a city of more than 10 million people in Hebei province.

Construction workers and materials have been sent from all over the country to help build the centre, state media reported. It’s common practice for China to mobilise resources nationwide to tackle natural disasters and other crises.

The quarantine centre is designed to house people who have been in contact with Covid-19 patients. Each room, for one person only, is 18 square metres and comes with bedding, a desk, an air conditioner, a television and Wi-Fi, the China News Service reported.

Opinion

Editorial

Collective wisdom
05 Mar, 2026

Collective wisdom

IN times like these, when war is raging in the neighbourhood, it is important for the state to bring on board all...
Economic impact
Updated 05 Mar, 2026

Economic impact

The Iran-linked instability highlights the fact that Pakistan’s macroeconomic resilience remains fragile.
Shrouds of innocence
05 Mar, 2026

Shrouds of innocence

TWO-and-a-half years of relentless slaughtering of Palestinian children, with complete impunity and in the most...
Regional climbdown
04 Mar, 2026

Regional climbdown

WITH the region in flames, Pakistan must calibrate its foreign policy accordingly; it has to deal with some ...
Burning questions
Updated 04 Mar, 2026

Burning questions

A credible, independent, and time-bound inquiry is now necessary after the US Consulate protest ended in gruesome bloodshed.
Governance failure
04 Mar, 2026

Governance failure

BENEATH Lahore’s signal-free corridors and road infrastructure lies a darker truth: crumbling sewerage lines,...