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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : February 24, 2020 12:12 PM IST
Wuhan is the epicenter of the outbreak since the virus emerged in mid-December.
The death toll from the new coronavirus has risen to 2,592 in China, with 150 more fatalities reported on Sunday. China's National Health Commission (NHC) confirmed 409 new coronavirus cases on Sunday. This is down from 648 reported a day earlier. However, the number of new deaths rose to 150 from 97 over the same period, the commission said. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases on ibn China is now 77,150, it added.
Meanwhile, healthy Wuhan residents have expressed disappointment over the Chinese government's alleged mishandling of the outbreak. Many say that they were forced into mass coronavirus quarantine with hundreds of other patients, putting them at risk of cross-infection. They also complained about the poor condition of the makeshift quarantine centers.
In a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, thousands of people deemed to be high risk were isolated and placed into hundreds of temporary quarantine centres set up across the Wuhan city. These include people with signs of the virus, or those who have come into close contact with confirmed cases.
Wuhan is the epicenter of the outbreak since the virus emerged in mid-December. The city has been on lockdown since January 23. Despites these restrictive measures, most of the deaths and confirmed cases were reported from Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province.
Earlier this month, leaders in Beijing removed the Communist Party bosses of Hubei and Wuhan amid seething public anger over the government's alleged mishandling of the outbreak. They were replaced by two hardliners, both with extensive backgrounds in law enforcement.
Quarantine measures were escalated in Wuhan immediately after Wang Zhonglin replaced the city's party chief.
Wang ordered a city-wide, three-day roundup of people possibly sickened with the coronavirus. This was done to prevent further cross-infection in families and communities.
Since then, many people have been barred from leaving their residential compounds. Supermarkets are also accepting only "group orders" from communities, residents told media persons.
Stadiums and exhibition halls have been converted into makeshift hospitals where confirmed patients with mild symptoms were put in.
