Lockdown on Coronavirus: South China Morning Post

China has taken the unprecedented step of quarantining Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus. The virus has infected more than 500, killed 17 people and spread to at least six nations since the start of the year. Public health officials connect foreign cases to travel and time spent in Wuhan. Wuhan's public transportation is closed. “Local residents rushed to railway stations and the airport after the announcement of the lockdown on Wednesday night,” reports South China Morning Post. There was no ban for private vehicles, but the “government told residents not to leave the city without ‘special reason.’” Airport staff in China and elsewhere screen passenger temperatures and apply disinfectant. Concern runs high as millions of Chinese have travel plans for the Lunar New Year. The lockdown announcement for Wuhan was abrupt, allowing little time for preparation, and Wuhan residents stock up on supplies. Elsewhere in China, people avoid crowded places like cinemas. Update: More than 900 cases are reported with 26 deaths; more than 10 cities have travel restrictions. The government is urging cancellation of Lunar New Year celebrations to minimize crowds. – YaleGlobal