Chinese authorities on Friday expanded the lockdown of Dandong, a major trade hub directly across from North Korea’s Sinuiju city, likely pushing back even further prospects of normalized land trade between the two countries.

While Dandong’s lockdown began on April 26 with just 77 apartments, communities, or other areas of the city, it has now dramatically expanded to cover 197 different locations, according to a list of controlled areas published Friday.

Moreover, sources in the city have told NK News that the expansion came suddenly and with little warning.

“Things have gone crazy,” one source in Dandong said, referring indirectly to the lockdown to avoid the scrutiny of Chinese censors, who have banned users for speaking critically of the government’s approach. “The epidemic situation in Dandong is very serious. My relatives are stuck in their homes and can’t go out.”

The lockdown is not comprehensive, however, and some inside the city say they are free to leave at any time. 

The harsh restrictions come after health authorities detected just a handful of cases throughout the city, upending virtually every facet of life in Dandong — including floundering trade ties with North Korea.

On April 30, China’s foreign ministry announced North Korea and China had agreed to suspend rail freight between Dandong and Sinuiju, less than four months after it had resumed. 

Peter Ward, a North Korean economy expert and NK Pro contributor, told NK News late last month that the move was bad news for the residents of Sinuiju, many of which likely benefited from the resumption of foodstuffs, medicines, and other goods from China.

It was also bad news for a China-North Korea trade fair, the first of its kind since the onset of COVID-19, that kicked off on April 28. 

Another source in Dandong said the lockdown is expected to last another ten days, but China’s “zero COVID” approach has proven elusive in cities such as Shanghai, which has been locked down for over a month.