The spread of the coronavirus in China is forcing many to lock themselves in at home. Those who traveled to the Wuhan area and managed to get out before the city was shut down are under close surveillance.
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Ten days ago, Claire locked herself in at home after a dramatic escape from Wuhan. She had traveled to the city, where the coronavirus originated, to spend Chinese New Year with her in-laws. Then, the news broke that Wuhan would be locked down. Claire and her boyfriend escaped just minutes before it happened.
Since then they have quarantined themselves at home. "In the beginning, it was our own decision to stay in," she told DW via videochat. But later the party state weighed in. "We started getting phone calls from the neighborhood committee and the local police station urging us to stay in." They have to measure and report their temperature to the authorities every day. Claire is a pseudonym to protect her family and she didn't want to reveal the name of her hometown.
China has been both criticized and praised for its response to the crisis. When the first cases of the disease broke out in December local authorities covered it up. Doctors who reported mysterious cases of pneumonia in chat groups were summoned by the police and threatened with punishment.
Slow response
Authorities initially ruled out human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus even after scientists had evidence to the contrary. During that time, the virus was able to spread unchecked. Then, in a dramatic turn, authorities decided to lock down the metropolis of Wuhan, a transport hub with a population of 11 million. Neighboring towns and cities in Hubei province followed suit.
As of now, an estimated 56 million people remain locked inside Hubei province — nearly the population of Italy. "We would see many more cases outside of China and probably deaths, if it were not for the government's efforts and progress," wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director of the World Health Organization on his Twitter account.
However, some public health researchers have warned that drastic measures might have the opposite effect by either driving patients into hiding or creating panic among the population. In the initial days of the lockdown, images showed people rushing to the hospitals for a check-up.
Pictures of people crammed together in the waiting areas of hospitals went viral on Chinese social media networks. "I saw several dead bodies in the hospitals," said citizen journalist Chen Qiushi, whom DW contacted via video in Wuhan. The lawyer has traveled to the city to document the situation. "And I saw many people who had a fever and a cough for several days but did not know whether they were infected because the hospitals lacked test kits."
Dramatic escape from Wuhan
Claire was at her in-laws' house when she heard about plans to shut down the city. She had arrived the previous night and was preparing to celebrate Chinese New Year, the most important family holiday in China.
The next day, at 9 a.m., she saw a message banning people from leaving the city as of 10 a.m. "I panicked and told my boyfriend we need to leave immediately," she said. They quickly packed and headed outside. No taxis and no Didis (China's Uber-like ride hailing service) were available, so they walked up to a car waiting at a traffic light and told the driver they would pay him whatever he wants if he took them out of the city. For 800 yuan (€103, $114) he drove them to a township outside of Wuhan. There they were able to board a train that took them back to their hometown.
Most taxi and other transport services have stopped their operationsImage: AFP/H. Retmal
Since then they have stayed inside their apartment. They only leave home to pick up groceries that delivery services leave at the gate of their compound or to take down the trash at night. "We wait until everybody is asleep. Then we put on our masks and take the trash down," Claire said.
Chinese cities are eerily empty these days. People rush past each other avoiding close contact. Walking on the sidewalk opposite a hospital in Beijing a woman glanced over, looking anxious. Three people were waiting for a check-up outside the clinic. "Not too many people, it seems that Beijing has not yet been hit hard," she said. She had just gone out to buy a few vegetables and was walking back home. "We mostly stay in these days," she continued. "People have reacted more quickly than the government."
A young man, who was waiting at the roadside for a taxi, said that there was nothing to be afraid of as long as people took precautions. "We need to avoid crowded places, wear masks, and wash our hands regularly. The government has given us clear instructions."
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.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/SOPA Images/A. Marzo
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.
Image: Imago Images/UPI Photo/S. Shaver
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.
Image: Reuters/Str
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.
Image: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
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.
Image: AFP/STR
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."
Image: picture-alliance/KEYSTONE/J.-C. Bott
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.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/kyodo
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.
Image: Reuters/R. Casilli
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.
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
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.
Image: picture-alliance/EibnerT. Hahn
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.
Image: picture-alliance/R. Pinney
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.
Image: picture-alliance/Geisler-Fotopress
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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The government's initial unresponsiveness to the disease has turned into a flurry of activity on all levels. In Beijing, neighborhood committees are going from door to door to hand out leaflets and ask whether anybody is experiencing health issues.
Loudspeaker announcements and billboards remind residents to register with the authorities, if they have recently returned to the city. Hotels, office buildings and shopping centers have set up checkpoints to measure the temperature of visitors.
Throughout the country, authorities are tracking down people who have recently visited Hubei province and ordering them not to leave their apartment for two weeks. All over the country, people from Hubei say that they have difficulties finding a hotel room. Some report that locals harass them.
In her hometown in central China, Claire is counting the days until her two-week quarantine ends. She is looking forward to going for a run and resuming daily life tasks like grocery shopping, although she still plans to limit her social life until the epidemic is under control.
She expects that her experience will have an impact on her life in the near future. "The authorities, my close friends and my family know that we have been to Wuhan, but I would not tell other people," she says. "I would just make them feel afraid."
