China Lifts Lockdown On Hubei Province Despite COVID-19 Resurgence

People flooded onto trains and buses in Hubei province on Wednesday after China lifted a two-month lockdown on the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in the eastern city of Wuhan (roughly 900 feet from a laboratory where they were experimenting on bat coronavirus that’s 96% genetically identical to COVID-19).

At a railway station in the city of Macheng, there were long queues of people lugging suitcases in the rain as they queued for trains.

Children in masks were among those waiting, while guards directed the crowds and station announcements offered details of trains to destinations across the country.

Footage from Xinhua News Agency showed migrant workers in Huanggang — one of the cities worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak — queuing for long-distance coaches. –RTHK.hk

“I have been at home in Hubei for more than two months,” said one unnamed worker returning to Wenzhou in Zhejiang province.

While trains and buses are not yet operating in Wuhan, 30 highways leading into the city were re-opened on Wednesday according to state media, which showed jam-packed roads.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, a state police traffic officer said that people are allowed to travel in and out of Hubei as long as they have a “green” health code issued by authorities, according to RTHK.

It’s not over, however

While CCP officials claim there have been no new local infections in Wuhan over the last few days, RTHK sources say that’s “simply not the case,” and that people are being turned away from hospitals without being tested in order to back the official data.

Hospital refuses to admit #CCPVirus patient as they want to keep “zero new case” record. Upset family starts a fight with staff, on Mar. 23, Not sure which hospital.
Click here for more : https://t.co/fSwmxEsPYp#COVID2019 #Coronavirus #CoronavirusOutbreak #CoronavirusPandemic pic.twitter.com/uUGQTEgEgt

— Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 (@jenniferatntd) March 23, 2020

A member of a volunteer group said his mother, who is in hospital with a heart problem, had seen coronavirus patients being turned away by staff.

Zhang Yi said it is a political need that is making mainland authorities claim there have been no new local infections.

He said he had received messages from officials which showed there were still people coming down with the disease in Wuhan.

“Whether the official figure is accurate or not, I think you will know. This is a political treatment, not medical treatment,” he said. –RTHK

Meanwhile, one of China’s own top experts, professor Li Lanjuan- who has been handling the medical aspect of the Wuhan outbreak – says she is “very worried that imported cases could trigger another large-scale epidemic” in the country.

Her comment came after health officials reported the country’s first case of someone who is believed to have contracted the disease, known as COVID-19, from another person returning from abroad.

It also came as life in former epicentre Wuhan is slowly returning to normal following a two-month draconian lockdown. –Daily Mail

“The mission in Wuhan has not been accomplished, and there are still many critical patients,” said Li, adding “I think the current situation in our country is very tough.”