Wuhan: The central Chinese city of Wuhan — where the coronavirus was first reported — started allowing people to leave for the first time since it was locked down on Jan. 23 to contain the outbreak.
The first train carrying departing passengers left the city at 5 a.m. local time, Reuters reported, and outbound highways were opened to vehicles around the same time.
Based on ticket sales, 55,000 people will leave Wuhan by train on Wednesday, Chinese media reported.
More than 50,000 people were infected with the virus in Wuhan and the death toll in the city has reached 2,572, about 80% of the total fatalities in China, according to official figures.
Chinese authorities gradually eased restrictions in Wuhan city as the epidemic situation improved. At one time, the industrial city’s 11 million people were confined to their homes.
