Lockdown only way to tackle virus, say Indians in Wuhan

Beijing/Wuhan, April 9

A few daring Indians, who remained in Wuhan where the novel coronavirus first emerged and then became a global pandemic, have a word of advice for their compatriots back home: follow the strict lockdown and self-isolation measures to arrest the spread of the deadly disease.

The Indian nationals in Wuhan said they were very happy that their

76-day suffering due to the strict lockdown came to an end on Wednesday when the authorities lifted the restrictions in the central Chinese city of 11 million people.

“For over 73 days, I stayed put in my room, stepped out to my lab close by with permission. Today I struggle to speak properly because I have not spoken much all these weeks as there is no one to speak because everyone stayed indoors,” said Arunjith T Sathrajith, a hydrobiolgist working in Wuhan.

Hubei has so far reported 67,803 confirmed COVID-19 cases in total, including 50,008 in Wuhan. The death toll due to the coronavirus in China has risen to 3,335 and the overall cases have reached 81,865 in the country.

Wild animals sold in the Huanan Seafood Market are believed to be the source of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 88,500 lives worldwide so far and infected nearly 1.5 million people. The Huanan market was closed after the virus outbreak in China in December last year. —PTI

Word of advice

Another Indian scientist who also stayed put in Wuhan said, “For about 72 days I have shut myself in my room. My neighbour has three very young children. I have not seen them coming out of their flat even once. Today I am happy and relieved I survived but still not willing to venture out because I could run into virus carriers.”