|
 Wuhan,
where 11 million people live, had been paralysed by containment
efforts imposed by authorities, who shut down public transport as
well as taxi services as part of a lockdown, leaving it mostly to
ordinary citizens to keep the city running.
Zhang Quan is a member of Blue Sky Rescue, China's biggest nonprofit
civil rescue organization, which has been involved in helping
distribute medical supplies for the epidemic.
The former soldier leads a team of 60 volunteers that has been
focused on disinfecting places such as hospitals and schools.
"We have teachers, policemen, entrepreneurs," he told Reuters on
Thursday about his hazmat suit-clad team, who were preparing to walk
through the Wuhan Qintai Grand Theatre to disinfect its seats and
hallways with white plumes of chlorine dioxide.
[to top of second column] |
It has started to relax those restrictions in recent weeks and will allow people
to start leaving the city on April 8, more than two months after the curbs were
put in place in late January.
Still, the top official in Wuhan on Friday warned residents to strengthen
self-protection measures and avoid going out as Beijing preaches vigilance to
avoid a resurgence of infections.
Wang Zhonglin, Wuhan's Communist Party chief, said the risk of a rebound in the
city's coronavirus epidemic remained high due to both internal and external
risks and that it must continue to maintain prevention and control measures.
China has reported a total of 81,589 confirmed cases, which exclude asymptomatic
patients, and 3,318 deaths from the outbreak. Worldwide, the number of cases has
topped 1 million, with at least 52,000 deaths.
(Reporting by Thomas Suen and Brenda Goh; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
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