Daijiworld Media Network - Hubei (SHP)
Hubei, Mar 19: In a massive feat, China documented zero domestic infections on Thursday ever since the outbreak. However, the imported cases of infection rained over the progress of the country. Strangely, countries other than China are reporting a higher number of coronavirus infections, with Europe now becoming the epicentre of the virus.
There were no new cases in Wuhan -- the central city where the virus first emerged in December -- for the first time since authorities started publishing figures in January, according to the National Health Commission.
The draconian measure adopted by China can be attributed to the slow-paced increase of new infections. Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with more than 40 million other people in the rest of Hubei province entering lockdown in the following days. Strict measures were also followed to restrict public gatherings.
There were eight more deaths in China -- all in Hubei -- raising the nationwide total to 3,245, according to the commission. China reported nearly 81,000 infections, but only 7,263 people remain sick with the coronavirus disease. The global number has shot past 200,000, with more than 8,700 deaths.
On March 10, President Xi Jinping visited Wuhan for the first time since the outbreak began and declared that the spread of the disease was 'basically curbed'. The Hubei officials also allowed people to travel within the province for the first since January, with exception to Wuhan. The Hubei authorities opened borders which allowed healthy people from low-risk areas to leave the province if they have residence or jobs elsewhere, again with exception to Wuhan.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government expressed concerns over the second wave of infections due to the influx of people from abroad, as over of 20,000 people fly down to China every day.
Beijing and other regions are now requiring most international arrivals to go into 14-day quarantine in designated hotels. The National Health Commission said there were 34 more cases brought in from abroad, the biggest daily increase in two weeks, with 189 in total now.