20 Million People QUARANTINED in China for Wuhan Coronavirus: What to Do RIGHT NOW by Daisy Luther for The Organic Prepper
GNN Note – Preparedness is not about dying, it’s about being joyful in life. Remember, airplanes make it possible for any disease, virus or bacteria to move around the world in a matter of hours.
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This morning, we woke up to the news that China has quarantined three major cities with a combined population of more than 20 million people. That seems rather excessive (not to mention expensive and panic-inducing) for a virus with a proclaimed 2% death rate. The Guardian reports:
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Authorities banned transport links from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, on Thursday, as well as the nearby central Chinese cities of Huanggang and Ezhou, suspending buses, subways, ferries and shutting the airport and train stations to outgoing passengers.
Meanwhile the state-run Beijing News said the capital had cancelled events including two well-known lunar new year temple fairs. Separately, the country’s railway operator, China State Railway Group, said passengers would be able to receive full refunds on tickets nationwide starting on Friday. (source)
Chinese authorities still report only 633 cases, 95 patients in critical condition, and 17 deaths from the virus.
Panic rises across China
The move to quarantine Wuhan, Huanggang, and Ezhou has caused panic as residents of the cities rush to purchase food and other goods before supplies run out.
In Wuhan, supermarket shelves were empty and local markets sold out of produce as residents hoarded supplies and isolated themselves at home. Petrol stations were overwhelmed as drivers stocked up on fuel, exacerbated by rumours that reserves had run out. Local residents said pharmacies had sold out of face masks.
“When I saw the news when I woke up, I felt like I was going to go crazy. This is a little too late now. The government’s measures are not enough,” said Xiao, 26, a primary schoolteacher in Wuhan, who asked not to give her full name.
Few pedestrians were out and families cancelled plans to get together for the new year holiday. Special police forces were seen patrolling railway stations. Residents and all government workers are now required to wear face masks while in public spaces. Most outbound flights from the city’s Tianhe airport were cancelled. (source)
Due to the nobody-in-nobody-out nature of the quarantine, it is unknown whether supplies will be replenished.
This certainly shows how quickly things can change. Within a span of 24 hours, the people in these regions went from a warning about a virus to a near-SHTF scenario. Those who weren’t already prepped have little chance of getting well-stocked now.
People fled to try and escape the quarantine.
The Washington Post reports that censorship of information has been evident.
In a post that was online for less than an hour, the Wuhan Health Commission admitted Thursday that it was struggling under the strain of the outbreak.
“At present, there is an obvious increase in the number of patients with fever in the city, and it is true that there are long queues and a shortage of beds in fever clinics,” the commission said.
A post from Wuhan Railway saying that 300,000 people traveled by train out of Wuhan on Wednesday, headed to every corner of the country, was also quickly deleted. (source)
According to the same report, the quarantine may not have been instituted quickly enough to stop the spread of the virus. Many people fled the cities, while others remain trapped and angry.
