Coronavirus: Wuhan still struggling to get medical supplies after nearly a month of lockdown

Officials say situation in the city and across Hubei province ‘still extremely serious’ but it has improved

Shortages of medical gear and food still a challenge, as is delivering the essentials to people

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Supplies of protective gear like caps, gloves and boots are running low in Wuhan. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 11:00pm, 20 Feb 2020Updated: 1:00am, 21 Feb 2020

Nearly a month after the lockdown of Wuhan – a city of 11 million people and the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak – officials say they are still struggling to cope with a shortage of medical supplies and getting essentials to people, but the situation has improved.

The coronavirus, which causes a disease known as Covid-19, has infected more than 74,000 people and killed over 2,100 in mainland China, with more than 1,500 deaths in Wuhan alone. It has spread to more than two dozen countries since it was first identified in late December.

Sunday will mark one month since the city at the heart of the outbreak took unprecedented infectious disease control measures, including shutting down businesses, schools and transport, and confining residents to their homes. Other cities in the province imposed similar controls in a mass quarantine effort affecting more than 50 million people.

“We must soberly realise that while there have been good changes, the situation in Wuhan and Hubei is still extremely serious,” Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary general of the State Council, China’s cabinet, said at a press conference in Wuhan on Thursday.

Community workers deliver food to an elderly woman in Wuhan. Tighter measures are making it harder to deliver the essentials. Photo: Xinhua

Other officials at the briefing insisted that improvements in disease control were being made, but admitted shortages of medical supplies and food would still be a challenge in the days ahead.