China’s southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou locked down its largest district Monday as it tries to tamp down a major COVID-19 outbreak, suspending public transit and requiring residents to present a negative test if they want to leave their homes, the Associated Press reported. The outbreak is testing China’s attempt to bring a more “targeted” approach to its zero-COVID policies while facing multiple outbreaks. China is the only major country in the world still trying to curb virus transmissions through strict lockdown measures and mass testing. Meanwhile in Beijing, the capital reported two more COVID-19-related deaths. On Sunday, the city reported its first COVID-19 death in over six months.
Known U.S. cases of COVID were flat on Sunday with the daily average standing at 40,588, according to a New York Times tracker, up 1% from two weeks ago. The daily average for hospitalizations was up 1% at 27,781, while the daily average for deaths is down 10% to 286. Globally, the confirmed case tally rose above 638.1 million on Monday, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins, while the death toll is above 6.62 million with the U.S leading the world with 98.3 million cases and 1,077,031 fatalities.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.