Chinese authorities locked down at least nine cities on the tourist island of Hainan on Aug. 8 as a COVID-19 outbreak was detected. Over 80,000 tourists and six professional soccer teams are unable to leave the far southern province and are facing higher hotel rates.
The lockdown has left the streets of Hainan’s capital, Haikou, and tourist city Sanya deserted and its beaches havens for sea birds.
All of Hainan’s over 10 million residents and any visiting tourists were ordered to undergo COVID-19 testing on Aug. 7. According to official data, about 8,600 medical personnel from 18 provinces arrived by Aug. 8 to assist with the mass testing….