China locked down millions in coronavirus-hit Hubei. Has it done more harm than good?
- Residents are struggling to get much-needed treatment and supplies in Wuhan and other closed-off cities, and the death toll is rising
- Independent economist Hu Xingdou says it’s time to lift the restrictions and ‘stop this human tragedy that is happening’
The streets remain eerily quiet in the central Chinese city that is home to 11 million people – more than New York or London. And people continue to fall ill, but they are struggling to get much-needed treatment and supplies.
All public transport into and out of the city, including trains, buses and ferries, stopped at 10am on January 23. Outbound flights were cancelled, private cars were ordered off the roads, and inner city public transport was also brought to a halt.
As the deadly virus continued to spread, at least 15 other cities across Hubei province were also locked down in the world’s biggest ever quarantine effort that is affecting more than 50 million people.
As the death toll continues to mount in Wuhan and the other cities under lockdown, questions have been raised over whether the drastic measures have left residents in a worse position given the chronic shortage of hospital beds and medical supplies in the province.