Second Chinese city Huanggang put under coronavirus lockdown

Maxwell Amoofia
Face mask stocks are reportedly running low in the city

A second Chinese city will go into lockdown in an effort to control the spread of a new virus which has left 17 dead in the country.

Authorities have suspended planes and trains in and out of Wuhan – a city of 11 million people – as well as buses, subways and ferries.

Similar measures will take effect in nearby Huanggang, a city of more than seven million, as of midnight.

There are more than 500 confirmed cases of the virus, which has spread abroad.

Countries around the world have announced they will be screening travellers for signs of infection.

Wuhan is at the centre of the outbreak and believed to be where the virus originated.

Residents have been told not to leave. Worried about a food shortage, one Wuhan resident said it felt like “the end of the world”.

The lockdown comes as millions of Chinese people travel across the country for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

All outbound flights from Wuhan have been suspended as of Thursday. A handful of inbound flights still appear to be operating, though many flights have been cancelled.

Several regional airlines – including Malaysia’s AirAsia and Singapore Airlines’ budget carrier Scoot – have announced a temporary halt to flights to and from Wuhan.

Another Wuhan resident said on social media site Weibo that they were on the “verge of tears” when they heard about the closures.

What’s the latest?

The public transport lockdown came into force as of 10:00 local time (02:00 GMT), leaving normally busy train stations and airports empty.

Supermarket shelves were reportedly bare as residents scrambled for supplies, while people took to social media to complain about soaring prices for groceries.

Residents had already been told to avoid crowds and minimise public gatherings, and health authorities have reportedly made wearing a mask in public places mandatory.

State news agency Xinhua said tourist attractions and hotels had been told to suspend large-scale activities while libraries, museums and theatres were cancelling exhibitions and performances.

And the lockdown is spreading. Public television in Huanggang – east of Wuhan – has also announced a suspension of its bus and rail system from midnight, and encouraged people not to leave the city. Cafes and cinemas will also be shut.

On Thursday, China’s National Health Commission released details of the 17 victims. The youngest victim was 48 and the oldest was 89. Most of them were elderly and suffered from other chronic diseases including Parkinson’s disease and diabetes.

All the fatalities so far have been in Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.

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A doctor at a hospital in Wuhan spoke to the BBC

The virus is now spreading at an alarming rate. The hospitals have been flooding with thousands of patients, who wait hours to see a doctor – you can imagine their panic.

Normally Wuhan is a great place to live and we are proud of our work – specialists here have developed a guide for coronavirus diagnosis and treatment.

But I am scared because this is a new virus and the figures are worrying.

Two days ago we were told not to go to work because of the risk of contamination. If we leave our home on the hospital campus, we are required to wear masks.

We don’t want to take our two-year-old son outside. He’s sleeping now, and we are trying to protect him as much as possible – hand-washing, airing the apartment, avoiding contact with people.

Outside I can barely see anyone on the streets. We have been told to avoid gathering.

I went to the supermarket to buy food, but there was nothing left – no vegetables or biscuits. Some Lunar New Year celebrations are cancelled.

People had bought tickets to go home for Lunar New Year but they can’t go now. Everyone is stuck here and can’t leave.

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