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A28 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 8 april 2020

China’s virus pandemic epicenter Wuhan ends 76-day lockdown

province of Hubei have down's lifting, SWAT teams
been successful enough and staff in white hazmat
that countries around the suits had patrolled outside
world adopted similar mea- the city's Hankou railway
sures. station, while guards at-
During the 76-day lock- tended a security briefing
down, Wuhan residents under the marble arches of
had been allowed out of its entrance.
their homes only to buy Tickets for trains out of Wu-
food or attend to other han to cities across China
tasks deemed absolutely already were advertised
necessary. Some were al- on electronic billboards,
lowed to leave the city, with the first train leaving for
but only if they had paper- Beijing at 6:25 a.m. A line
work showing they were designated for passengers
not a health risk and a let- headed to the capital was
ter attesting to where they roped off, while loudspeak-
were going and why. Even ers blared announcements
then, authorities could turn about pandemic control
them back on a technical- measures, such as keeping
ity such as missing a stamp, safe distances and wear-
preventing thousands from ing masks. Wuhan is a ma-
returning to their jobs out- jor center for heavy indus-
Travelers with their luggage walk past the Hankou railway station on the eve of its resuming side the city. try, particularly autos, and
outbound traffic in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday, April 7, 2020. Residents of other parts while many major plants
Associated Press
of Hubei were allowed to have restarted production,
By SAM McNEIL healthy and have not been through the newly re- leave the province starting the small and medium-
Associated Press in recent contact with any- opened bridges, tunnels about three weeks ago, as sized businesses that pro-
WUHAN, China (AP) — The one confirmed to have the and highway toll booths, long as they could provide vide the most employment
lockdown that served as a virus. while hundreds waited for a clean bill of health. are still hurting from both
model for countries battling The occasion was marked the first trains and flights out Prevention measures such a lack of workers and de-
the coronavirus around the with a light show on either of the city, many hoping to as wearing masks, tem- mand. Measures are being
world has ended after 11 side of the broad Yangtze return to jobs elsewhere. perature checks and limit- instituted to get them back
weeks: Chinese authori- river, with skyscrapers and Restrictions in the city where ing access to residential on their feet, including 20
ties are allowing residents bridges radiating animated most of China's more than communities will remain in billion yuan ($2.8 billion) in
of Wuhan to once again images of health workers 82,000 virus cases and over place in Wuhan, which is preferential loans, accord-
travel in and out of the aiding patients, along with 3,300 deaths were report- the capital of Hubei. ing to the city government.
sprawling city where the one displaying the words ed have been gradually "This day that people have China blocked people
pandemic began. "heroic city," a title be- relaxed in recent weeks as long been looking forward from leaving or entering
As of just after midnight stowed on Wuhan by presi- the number of new cases to and it is right to be excit- Wuhan starting Jan. 23 in
Wednesday, the city's 11 dent and Communist Party steadily declined. The lat- ed. However, this day does a surprise middle-of-the-
million residents are now leader Xi Jinping. Along the est government figures re- not mark the final victory," night announcement and
permitted to leave with- embankments and bridg- ported Tuesday listed no the paper said. "At this mo- expanded the lockdown to
out special authorization es, citizens waved flags, new cases. ment, we still need to re- most of the province in suc-
as long as a mandatory chanted "Wuhan, let's go!" While there are ques- mind ourselves that as Wu- ceeding days. Train service
smartphone application and sang a capella rendi- tions about the veracity han is unblocked, we can and flights were canceled
powered by a mix of data- tions of China's national an- of China's count, the un- be pleased, but we must and checkpoints were set
tracking and government them. precedented lockdown of not relax." up on roads into the central
surveillance shows they are Traffic moved swiftly Wuhan and its surrounding In anticipation of the lock- province. q

Most people on Antarctica cruise ship have the coronavirus

By GUILLERMO GARAT March 15 on a voyage to Antarc- Greg Mortimer are being treated. able to depart later in the week,
Associated Press tica and South Georgia that was Australian passengers, and possibly following a second test and per-
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — titled "In Shackleton's Footsteps," those from New Zealand, are likely mission from the Uruguayan gov-
Nearly 60 percent of 217 people a reference to the polar explorer to fly home on Thursday or Friday ernment, Aurora Expeditions said.
— many from Australia, Europe who led British expeditions to the on an Airbus 340 that has been re- Those who tested positive must
and the United States — on board region and died there in 1922. fitted, with people who have the wait until they test negative before
a cruise ship off the coast of Uru- Of 217 people tested on the vessel, virus and those who do not travel- flying home.
guay have tested positive for the 128 were positive for the virus that ing in separate cabin areas, ac- In a separate case, a cruise ship
new coronavirus, the ship's opera- causes the COVID-2019 disease cording to Aurora Expeditions. The anchored in Santos, on the coast
tor said Tuesday. and 89 tested negative, Aurora Ex- cost per passenger is about $9,300 of Brazil's Sao Paulo state, had its
"There are currently no fevers on peditions said. and the cruise ship operator has quarantine extended until at least
board and all are asymptomatic," Another six people who were asked the Australian government April 19 after doctors found new
said Aurora Expeditions, the Aus- evacuated from the ship are in sta- for help with expenses. suspected cases of the coronavi-
tralian operator of the Greg Mor- ble condition and being treated The plan would require the passen- rus, according to Brazilian officials.
timer ship that is working to disem- in Montevideo. The people on the gers to undergo a 14-day quaran- There are now 40 suspected cases
bark the crew and passengers and ship are calm but they are eager tine on arrival at a facility in Mel- aboard the Costa Fascinosa ves-
arrange flights to their home coun- to go home, said Marcelo Girard, bourne, the company said. sel, which is owned by Costa Cruis-
tries. a doctor at a Uruguayan medical U.S. and European passengers who es. Hundreds of people are on the
The Greg Mortimer departed facility where two people from the tested negative will hopefully be ship.q