Authorities in south China apologize over COVID-19 break-ins

BEIJING (AP) — Authorities in southern China have apologized for breaking into the homes of people who had been taken to a quarantine hotel. It’s the latest example of heavy-handed virus-prevention measures that have sparked a rare public backlash. State media said that 84 homes in an apartment complex in Guangzhou city had been opened in an effort to find any “close contacts” hiding inside and to disinfect the premises. The doors were later sealed and new locks installed. China has pursued a hard-line “zero-COVID” policy despite the mounting economic costs and disruption to the lives of citizens.