China Shuts Down 2 More Cities Amid Deadly Coronavirus Epidemic

China Shuts Down 2 More Cities Amid Deadly Coronavirus Epidemic

China's cities of Huanggang and Ezhou have been put on lockdown on Thursday, hours after the authorities banned travel from the nearby city of Wuhan, which is the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus epidemic

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2020) China's cities of Huanggang and Ezhou have been put on lockdown on Thursday, hours after the authorities banned travel from the nearby city of Wuhan, which is the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus epidemic.

The authorities of Huanggang said that all public transportation in the city, including bus lines and train stations, will be shut down by the end of the day.

A separate statement from local authorities in Ezhou ordered that the same measures be implemented by Thursday evening, too.

The harsh emergency measures followed a decision by the Wuhan authorities to shut down all transportation channels, including airports, bus stations and train terminals, and prohibit travel from the city earlier in the day. The exits of highways around Wuhan have also been closed, preventing people in Wuhan from leaving the city by driving their private vehicles.

The deadly outbreak of the new coronavirus started in early January, after local health authorities said a number of business owners from a local seafood market exhibited pneumonia symptoms. According to the latest official figures, the new coronavirus has infected 571 people, killing 17.