China to End Lockdown on Wuhan Starting April 8

• Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, will soon ease restrictions after a 2-month lockdown.
• The government has officially announced that the lockdown will be lifted beginning April 8.

According to an official announcement, China will be lifting the lockdown on Wuhan this coming April 8. Known as the ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic, the city seems to be showing signs of recovery from the outbreak that has since affected not only the entire China but numerous countries across the globe.

The lockdown began over two months after government authorities decided to ban departure and entry to the city in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. Now Wuhan has been getting lesser cases of the disease, as reports have dropped down to zero for 5 days since March 19.

Back in February, Wuhan reached thousands of new cases each day. A strict lockdown has been implemented starting January 23 and now the recent announcement is being touted as a major milestone in defeating the virus.

It can also be remembered that President Xi Jinping personally went to Wuhan last March 10, which marks his first visit to the city since the virus broke in December 2019.

With the lifting of the lockdown, some businesses in the area will begin opening their doors. Public transportation will be back to normal soon while workers are returning to their work. Meanwhile, schools and universities are expected to resume operations, although no specific dates have been mentioned as of yet.

In a CNN interview, a local resident shared his mixed reaction about the government notice.

“This is the day I’ve been waiting for,” said Bo Hanlin, a professional photographer who has been stuck at home for the past two months.

However, he remains confused as to why outsiders will be permitted to enter the city while some residents are still restricted from leaving their homes.

“I feel the risk is still high,” admitted Bo. “What if there is an imported case? We’ll have to stay home again.”

Watch this video report to learn more:

As of March 26, a total of 471,417 coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide with a death toll of 21,295. China has the most number of infections with 81,285. The virus has also claimed 3,287 lives in the country. Italy and Spain has already surpassed China in the death count with 7,503 and 3,647.