Wuhan reopens after coronavirus lockdown, Global cases of COVID-19 exceed 1.45 million

CGTN News— Wuhan , capital of Hubei Province in China , reopens after coronavirus lockdown .The city was under lockdown for the last 76 days amid a tight coronavirus quarantine.

Home to over 11 million people, the Chinese city celebrated its reopening with a midnight light show.

As the rest of the world tackles the coronavirus pandemic, China has been sending medical support across the globe to help other countries.

Many families have been apart since the lockdown began, and now Wuhan lifted outbound travel restrictions starting Wednesday after over two months of lockdown.

Before the city was reopened, Central China’s Hubei Province said on Tuesday it will stick to first-level emergency response in tackling COVID-19, even as its capital, Wuhan, lifts travel restrictions.

Provincial colleges, primary and secondary schools, secondary vocational schools, technical colleges and kindergartens will continue to postpone the start of new semester, said the notice.

Hu Shuguang, Wuhan’s Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said epidemic control and prevention remain top priority in Wuhan, and people should stay alert.

Hu stressed that reporting no new case doesn’t mean there’s zero risk of the virus in Wuhan. The epidemic control and prevention task remains critical.

As for now, many residents are celebrating, while remaining alert for signs of the virus.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have exceeded 1.45 million globally, with the death toll surpassing 83,400, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Chinese mainland’s total number of cases has reached 81,802, including 1,042 cases that have come from abroad. A total of 1,095 asymptomatic patients are under medical observation.

The death toll in China stands at 3,342 (3,333 from the Chinese mainland, four from the Hong Kong SAR and five from Taiwan region).

The U.S. has over 400,000 COVID-19 infections. The death toll has exceeded 12,800. New York has overtaken Italy in the total number of confirmed cases. President Donald Trump has extended social distancing guidelines to April 30.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to ICU in London after his condition worsened on Monday.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency that will cover seven prefectures, including Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka.

Photo : Passengers wearing protective suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus gather outside of Hankou train station ahead of the resumption of train services in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province, on April 8, 2020. After 11 weeks of lockdown, the first train departed from a re-opened Wuhan, the origin point for the coronavirus pandemic, as residents once again were allowed to travel in and out of the sprawling central Chinese city . – AP

April 8 , 2020