Good news from China-no new domestic patient of COVID-19

China has reported zero new virus infected patients

Chinese authorities have reported that no new domestic patient of COVID -19 reported in Wuhan on Wednesday. The National Health Commission of China in its daily briefing said there were no new domestic cases in the country. Once there have been no new cases for 14 days, the lockdown on Wuhan may lift, the China Daily reported.

The Wuhan city in Hubei province was epicentre of COVID-19 where this outbreak begun in December 2019.  It is a big achievement for the China in the fight against COVID-19 also known as coronavirus.

According to the Commission- The total death toll has reached 3,245. It said that of the more than 81,000 cases reported in China since the outbreak began, just 7,263 remained ill.

China has emerged as leader in the fight against COVID -19 pandemic. China was criticised by the Western media for suppressing the information and responding slowly in the beginning of the health crisis. China was also criticised for taking strict measures and lockdown of cities. But China has successfully contained the epidemic with its strategy and measures.

The National Health Commission of China reported 34 new cases on Thursday but all are arrived in China from abroad. There are fears of more cases as people returning from oversee with infections.  China and South Korea are taking measures to stop the second wave of outbreak. Both countries were affected in the beginning of outbreak and successfully contained and controlled this epidemic.

Now COVID-19 pandemic is spreading in European countries and in USA. The Chinese nationals living in these countries are returning back to China and some are coming with virus.

The Guardian has reported that the authorities in Wuhan city in Hubei province has also soften the restrictions imposed during the epidemic. “The authorities are allowing people in residential compounds deemed “virus free” to leave their homes to conduct individual “personal activities” in staggered groups within the grounds, at certain times of the day. In areas that have been without infections for seven consecutive days, residents can go out freely as long as they do not gather in groups. Officials said 5,600 residential areas, or 78% of the residential areas in the city, are virus-free”.

On 23 January, Wuhan and three other cities – Huanggang, Ezhou and Chiba – were put under extraordinary lockdown, as authorities rushed to catch up on their virus response. An estimated 5 million people left the cities before the deadline arrived. Under the restrictions, travel in and out, for any reason, was banned. Authorities suspended public transport and banned most private cars, and eventually began house-to-house inspections and enforced quarantine.

Only supermarkets and pharmacies remained open, and schools and universities did not come back after the Lunar New Year break. In early March some restrictions were lifted, allowing Wuhan’s public transport workers and those producing daily necessities and medical supplies to return to work. Earlier this week travel restrictions were further lifted, allowing some employees in satellite cities to be bussed into Wuhan to return to work.

                                              Khalid Bhatti