BEIJING, (Reuters) – Zhejiang, a major Chinese manufacturing province, is facing its first COVID-19 Cluster this year. Tens of thousands of people are in quarantine, and many of them have been forced to suspend business operations and cancel events.

On Monday, the provincial reported 74 cases of locally transmitted disease with symptoms confirmed on Dec. 12. Official data revealed that this was almost twice the 38 cases on the preceding day. This brings the total to 173 since the last outbreak.

Wu Liangyou, a National Health Commission official, said that the outbreaks in Ningbo and Shaoxing were developing rapidly, while conditions nationwide are stable.

Zhejiang was home to numerous small and medium-sized companies, some of which export. However, the outbreak only affected one person in Zhejiang.

Over a dozen Chinese listed companies stated that they have stopped production from Zhejiang due to strict COVID-19 restrictions.

Although outbreaks occurred in many Chinese cities, they were still less severe than those elsewhere. However, local authorities were instructed to detect and contain the infections as soon as possible. This has prevented further spread and caused disruptions to tourism and travel.

The flight from Ningbo Lishe International Airport Shenzhen City to Shenzhen was suspended on Sunday. Beijing flights were cancelled beginning Dec. 6. It is only allowed to fly one flight per day from Hangzhou, China’s capital.

A provincial health official stated Monday that more than 50,000 Zhejiang residents were placed in quarantine at centralised facilities. Nearly half a million of them are being monitored for their health. It has 64.6 millions inhabitants.

Zhejiang issued an order to travel agencies to cease organizing trips that link the province with other areas. They also made it clear they would not be able stop provincial-level events.

Yiwu (two Zhejiang towns still to report on local cases of the most recent outbreak) ordered the closedown of entertainment venues like bars, chess parlours, and other gambling establishments.

Other than the 74 local symptoms in Zhejiang province, Shaanxi Province and Inner Mongolia’s northern Chinese region reported five and one local cases on Sunday.

China’s 99,780 symptoms were reported as of December 12. This includes those from overseas. The death rate remained at 4,636.

This story rectifies numbers in the 1st and 8th paragraphs.