With amusement parks, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China, as well as museums and cinemas closed, how are people managing in the cultural realm? A conversation with Li Yunzhong, cultural manager from Wuhan.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/H. Retamal
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"From my window, I see the second ring road of Wuhan, which is a major traffic artery of the city. Usually at this time of day (editor's note: late afternoon) the street is full of cars, like a stream of lights. Now there are only a few cars driving there, but that's more than there have been in the last days. Overall, it's very empty," says Li Yunzhong, who runs an artists' agency and has been stuck in his apartment in Wuhan with his wife, an opera singer, for over a week as a consquence of the spreading coronavirus.
"Across the street, the buildings are beautifully lit, the scenery looks lovely — but at the same time very fake, very surreal," Li Yunzhong adds. Now, after several gloomy days, the weather has improved.
"That's why people are coming out again, for a breath of fresh air, to shop, feel the sun's rays." But a "mass cultural life" is nowhere in sight, he says.
2 a.m. lockdown announcement
Since January 22, the city of Wuhan in central China with 11 million inhabitants has been sealed off from the rest of the world. Cultural and public life has largely disappeared. Mass events are prohibited; cultural institutions are closed.
The official government announcement came at around 2 a.m. Until 10.00 a.m. on the same day, people could still leave the city, from then on a ban on exiting the city was imposed. Many people who were informed of the impending ban during the night left their city in those remaining eight hours, but Li Yunzhong deliberately stayed on.
Coronavirus: Timeline of the global spread of COVID-19
Since the first cases were confirmed in December 2019, the flu-like COVID-19 virus exploded into a global pandemic, killing tens of thousands of people and infecting around 800,000. Scientists scramble for a vaccine.
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Pneumonia-like virus hits Wuhan
On December 31, 2019, China notifies the World Health Organization of a string of respiratory infections in the city of Wuhan, home to some 11 million people. The root virus is unknown and disease experts around the world begin working to identify it. The strain is traced to a seafood market in the city, which is quickly shut down. Some 40 people are initially reported to be infected.
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First death in China
On January 11, China announces the first death from the coronavirus — a 61-year-old man, who had shopped at the Wuhan market, dies from complications with pneumonia. Like SARS and the common cold, scientists identified that the new virus is in the coronavirus family. It is temporarily named 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.
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Virus reaches neighboring countries
In the following days, countries such as Thailand and Japan begin to report cases of infections in people who had visited the same Wuhan market. In China, a second fatality is confirmed in the city. By January 20, three people have died in China and more than 200 are infected.
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Millions under lockdown
China places Wuhan on quarantine on January 23 in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. Transportation is suspended and workers attempt to quickly build a new hospital to treat infected patients, which total over 830 by January 24, as the death toll climbs to 26. Officials eventually extend the lockdown to 13 other cities, affecting at least 36 million people.
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A global health emergency?
More and more cases are confirmed outside of China, including in South Korea, the US, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. As the number of infections rises, the World Health Organization on January 23 determines that it's "too early" to declare a global public health emergency.
Image: Getty Images/X. Chu
Coronavirus reaches Europe
On January 24, French authorities confirm three cases of the new coronavirus within its borders, marking the disease's first appearance in Europe. Hours later, Australia confirms four people have been infected with the respiratory virus.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Mortagne
First cases confirmed in Germany
On January 27, Germany announces its first known case of the virus — a 33-year-old in Bavaria who contracted it during a workplace training with a visiting Chinese colleague. He is put under quarantine and observation at a Munich hospital. The following day, three of his colleagues are confirmed infected. The death toll in China reaches 132, with around 6,000 infected worldwide.
Image: Reuters/A. Uyanik
WHO declares global health emergency
On January 30, the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) declares coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern in a bid to protect countries with "weaker health systems." However, WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus does not recommend trade and travel restrictions, saying these would be "an unnecessary disruption."
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First death outside China
The first death linked to the novel coronavirus outside of China is reported in the Philippines on February 2. A 44-year-old Chinese man had traveled from Wuhan to Manila before falling ill and being taken to hospital, where he later died of pneumonia.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Aljibe
Bad ending to a cruise
Also on February 3, the cruise ship Diamond Princess is quarantined off Yokohama in Japan after cases of the new coronavirus were found on board. As of February 17, the number of people infected has grown to more than 450, the largest cluster of cases outside of China. Several of the 3,700 passengers and crew onboard the ship are being or have been flown back to their home countries.
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Italy under quarantine
Cases in Italy rise dramatically, with 77 deaths and thousands of confirmed cases by March 3. Many countries instigate travel restrictions to northern Italy and tourist numbers plummet. On March 8, the Italian government put the entire Lombardy region into quarantine, affecting 16 million people. March 10 sees 168 fatalities in Italy, the highest in a single day.
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Economic woes
European and US stock markets slump on March 6, leading to the worst week since the 2008 financial crisis. The effect on global business has been significant, with many companies reporting losses and the tourism industry and airlines badly hit. The EU pledge €7.5 billion ($8.4 billion) on March 10 in an investment fund to try to stop the Eurozone falling into a recession.
Image: picture-alliance/Jiji Press/M. Taguchi
WHO declares outbreak as pandemic
As worldwide cases top 127,000 and deaths pass 4,700, the World Health Organization designates the global outbreak as a "pandemic" on March 11. US President Donald Trump announces a travel restriction on people coming from the Schengen Zone in Europe, annoying the EU. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces that in Germany, 70% of the population could get the virus.
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Public life on hold in Europe
On March 14, Spain joins Italy in imposing a near-total nationwide lockdown to prevent the virus spreading. The population of 46 million is told not to leave their homes unless for essential tasks. In France, cafés, restaurants and non-essential shops are closed as of March 15. Many public events in Germany are cancelled and schools close.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AAB. Akbulut
International travel severely restricted
As of March 15, many countries impose strict travel bans or restrictions in an attempt to stop the spread of Covid-19. For example, New Zealand and Australia require all international passengers to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in the country. The US extends a European travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
Germany imposes partial lockdown
In a landmark televised address German Chancellor Angela Merkel announces far-reaching restrictions on everyday life on March 22, banning meetings between more than two people not from the same household outside of the workplace. The country has a surprisingly low death rate, a phenomenon attributed to a high level of testing, and a high number of intensive care beds.
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Virus strikes at top as UK locks down
On March 23rd Britain becomes the latest country to impose restrictions on personal freedoms, with people only allowed to leave their homes in a limited number of circumstances. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is diagnosed with the viruson March 27, as well as heir to the throne Prince Charles on March 25. Meanwhile, there are complaints that not everyone is taking social distancing seriously.
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Grim milestone for the US
On March 27 the US overtakes China in terms of the number of people infected, making it the country with the most cases of COVID-19. This came as President Donald Trump claimed that the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly." At the same time, it emerged that more than 3 million Americans had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. New York is worst-hit, with a hospital ship sent to help out.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot/J. Fischer
Spain's surging death toll
Spain also overtakes China in the number of COVID-19 cases on March 30, as the government toughens the severity of its lockdown. All non-essential activities are halted. Only Italy has a higher death toll than Spain. Most affected is the capital, Madrid. With funeral services overwhelmed, officials turn the Palacio de Hielo ice skating rink into a temporary morgue.
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More than a million
On April 2nd the Johns Hopkins University announced on Thursday that there were more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases around the world. The US is the most affected with three times the number than China, where the virus emerged in December. Over 50.000 people have died — and the outlook remains grim.
Image: Reuters/J. Redmond
UK PM Boris Johnson hospitalized
The 55-year-old was admitted to the intensive care unit at London's St Thomas hospital on Monday evening (6.4.) and was given oxygen treatment after his condition worsened. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 27.
Image: AFP/10 Downing Street
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"As I live directly at the second ring road, it would have taken me only 30 minutes to get to the highway, but I decided against leaving the city. My sisters are here in Wuhan, and we wanted to be with our families during the Spring Festival, with my parents and in-laws. That's the purpose of the festival, so the question of leaving didn't even come up for me," he says.
In addition, for many in the city, there is the financial aspect: the costs of hotel accommodations around the Spring Festival are much higher than usual throughout China. Only a few can afford this, so that's why many have stayed in the city.
Boredom has taken its grip
The otherwise so lively streets are completely deserted. Yet, not only does the fear of the coronavirus have a grip on many Chinese people, but absolute boredom does too, as many have written on social networks. In other metropolises, such as Shanghai and Beijing, cinemas, museums and theaters are closed and the streets likewise virtually abandoned.
Meanwhile, the people of Wuhan have discovered creative ways of cheering each other on and vowing to stick together. Videos of residents singing the Chinese anthem from their windows are circulating on Twitter. Among other things, they chant encouraging statements like "Wuhan, add oil," which means "Let's roll!"
"People are social creatures," Li Yunzhong points out. "Someone who lives in a big city like Wuhan and usually goes out and meets people is not used to being locked up."
"This is an abnormal situation. It automatically makes you feel the need to do something. On social networks, people have made arrangements to sing together, and many people have taken up this call," he said.
Much to the dismay of virus experts, who promptly got on TV, radio and social media channels to warn against an accelerated risk of infection. Singing, yes, they have said, but at home behind closed doors and windows.
According to media reports, fast food and coffee chains have now closed the majority of their branches. The Starbucks company alone is said to have closed more than half of its 4,300 stores in China.
The Spring Festival holiday has been officially extended until February 2.
