- Title: Beijing worries about virus as lunar new year travel underway
- Date: 22nd January 2020
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 22, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET WITH MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WU XU, 33-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "After all, the spread of virus has just begun. After people have reunited (for spring festival), the bacteria will spread when they go back to work again. So I will be more worried about what will happen then." WOMAN WALKING WITH MASK (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WANG YUQI, 23-YEAR-OLD, ON HER WAY TRAVELING BACK HOME, SAYING: "I think the biggest risk is the Spring Festival mass migration. There are many different people in the train. I think this risk is relatively large. But it should be fine if you go back." PEOPLE WALKING WITH MASK (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) ZHAO YAZHI, 34-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "I didn't worry about it (virus) before. After Zhong Nanshan's (head of the National Health Commission's team) speech, he suggested that everyone wear a mask. Also in Beijing, the number (of confirmed cases) has risen. I'm now following the suggestions of everyone wearing a mask. Fortunately, there are two days left to the holiday, and I will reduce my travel during holidays. A very unusual practice during a very unusual time." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON THE STREET WITH MASKS LANTERN HANGING ON TREE
- Embargoed: 5th February 2020 10:44
- Keywords: Beijing China Wuhan disease epidemic infectious lunar new year outbreak travel virus
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001BX96TL3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: People in China's capital expressed concerns about traveling during the Lunar New Year in light of the Wuhan virus that has killed nine as of Wednesday (January 22).
Authorities in China and beyond stepped up efforts to control an outbreak of a new flu-like coronavirus on Wednesday as 440 cases have been confirmed.
China discouraged public gatherings in Hubei province, where the virus emerged last month, and has tightened containment measures in hospitals, while the World Health Organization (WHO) is due to hold an emergency meeting to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a global health emergency.
The virus has spread from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, in Hubei, to Beijing, Shanghai, Macau, Hong Kong, and beyond to the United States, Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
The Chinese government is providing updates on the number of cases in a bid to head off panic, as hundreds of millions of people prepare to travel home and abroad for Lunar New Year celebrations starting this week.
(Production: Thomas Suen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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