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According to recent data, 191 cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have been confirmed in Beijing, the capital of China. One person died and nine were healed. Katarzyna, who lives in Beijing and works at a school there, tells what the reality of its inhabitants is now. Who can, he works in the “home office” system, but there is no panic.
- The streets are not crowded and there is a mandatory inspection before entering the estate. There is a lot of talk about the coronavirus in Beijing, but there is no panic. However, there are increased precautions
- Chinese authorities do not hinder access to information. The internet works smoothly, and on the streets you can find cautious posters reminding you to wear masks
- So far, 2019 people have died due to the new type of 362-nCov coronavirus. 191 cases of the disease have been confirmed in Beijing
Last Sunday of Christmas in Beijing
The Chinese New Year 2 ended in China on Sunday, February 2020, which was extended due to reports of the coronavirus. During the Chinese New Year, millions of Chinese travel to and from China as well as internally. During this time, 500 million people make up to 3 billion trips. These numbers are impressive. As Katarzyna, our interlocutor, who has been living in Beijing for five years, admits, the streets of the cities are quite deserted.
– It’s not that there is absolutely no one on the streets, but the traffic is light – there are as many cars as at XNUMX am on Tuesday, and not as many as usually on a day off during rush hours – explains Katarzyna and adds: , which are usually crowded with inhabitants, are now empty. People prefer to stay home rather than go out and hang out with friends.
On Monday morning, which is already a normal working day, there was also little traffic. Our interlocutor, like the vast majority of Beijing residents, took advantage of the opportunity to work in the “home office” system.
Kasia admits that the only thing that is being discussed in Beijing is the coronavirus. Apart from that, absolutely nothing is happening.
– Beijing has not been quarantined, but security systems have been stepped up. There are random temperature controls at stations and in the subway, there is also an obligation to report intercity trips. Schools, universities and kindergartens are closed during the extended holidays – adds Katarzyna.
There are also controls on estates. Most of them have closed entrance gates, and before residents or visitors enter the estate, they undergo various types of checks. Sometimes it is just checking the car, sometimes measuring the temperature, signing the resident or showing a passport or ID card. Most people in Beijing wear masks. Kasia also smilingly recalls the situation from a few days ago, when she was “afraid” of going to the pharmacy for cough syrup.
– I have chronic bronchitis and had a terrible hoarseness. I did not go for drugs because I did not want to explain that it was not a coronavirus. Fortunately, the cough has passed and everything is fine now.
See also: Can parcels from China transmit coronavirus?
Katarzyna admits that in her opinion, the Chinese authorities are doing everything to fully inform about the threat of the coronavirus and prevent its spread.
– I have no problems with the Internet and VPN, as was the case, for example, during the communist party congress, when the coverage was very weak. The Chinese authorities want people to have the greatest possible access to all sources of information – explains Kasia.
There are also educational campaigns on preventing the spread of the virus. In the apartment where Katarzyna lives, handkerchiefs appeared in the elevator and a request to use them to press buttons instead of touching them with your hands.
– In general, the entire elevator was cleaned with strong detergents. You could feel them in the air – he adds.
One of the most popular meeting places in the city – the burger bar and the Slow Boat brewery – from the very beginning of the epidemic, they have intensified processes to protect themselves and others from coronavirs infection, but the place is still empty. Some stores have information on changing opening hours. There are also posters reminding you to wear medical masks.
Katarzyna admits that there are people who “flee” from China fearing the coronavirus, but she herself believes (and is not alone in this) that it is safer to stay at home than to go to the airport and then go on a long journey by plane. He also adds that not everyone can afford to leave their job.
See also: Coverage of the Wuhan coronavirus [MAP]
The first reports of a new type of coronavirus appeared at the end of last year. In the Chinese city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, a human, possibly from an animal, infected a person. A new type of coronavirus, also known as the Wuhan virus, spread to other countries within a month. Infections have been reported, inter alia, in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Malaysia. The virus also reached the United States and Canada, and also appeared in Europe – Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain.
See also: What You Need to Know About Coronavirus
Bats are probably the source of the infection. This would not be the first time these mammals have been responsible for the spread of a new type of coronavirus. SARS and MERS were also derived from bats. In the case of SARS, the intermediate hosts were civets (a species of mammal from the wyvern family), and in the case of MERS, camels. As for the Wuhan coronavirus, the bats probably infected snakes, and then the virus was transmitted to humans.
The 2019-nCov coronavirus is known to be transmitted by airborne droplets, from person to person. The symptoms of infection are similar to the flu – high fever and breathing problems are characteristic. The virus can cause pneumonia. For elderly and immunocompromised people, the infection can be fatal. So far (as of 3.02.2020/10/30, 362:350), 17 people have died due to coronavirus infection (including 500 in Hubei province and one in Beijing), and almost 489 people are infected. Also XNUMX people were cured.
See also: Comparison of the coronavirus from Wuhan and SARS
Work is also underway on the 2019-nCov coronavirus vaccine, scientists are also looking for known drugs that will treat the virus. Flu and anti-viral drugs are being tested to treat HIV.
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