New cases of Corona Virus in Chinese towns have fuelled fears in the streets of Beijing, with many people seen wearing surgical masks in the capital city, even though Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and the epicentre of the virus outbreak, is 1,152km south of Beijing.
As of now three people have died, but there are more than 200 suspected cases. On January 20, the Chinese government confirmed the first cases in the country outside Wuhan, in Beijing, and in Shenzhen, a city in southern China, that links the country to Hong Kong.
Said a temple official in Henan province to THE WEEK, "We believe in our government and are sure it will do everything possible to control the virus. But they should reveal the truth to the public. As in, how many people have died due to this virus and where were they located. So that we can take the necessary precautions. There are unconfirmed reports that around 10 people have died because of the virus. Hope that is not true. For now, my family and friends are staying away from crowd."
An MBA graduate THE WEEK met in Wangfujin street in Beijing said there was nothing to worry. "People are just being careful, because the Chinese New Year is coming and they don't want to fall ill. You should not believe in rumours planted by the western media. There is nothing that serious. We (the Chinese) have managed bigger problems in the past."
This week, lakhs of Chinese will be traveling domestically and abroad, as the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, begins on January 25, with close to 15 days of celebrations.
A hotel staff in Chaoyang district of Beijing said her hotel is not recommending people to wear masks. "For now, it is safe. Please don't worry," she said.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing is monitoring the situation carefully. "The government of India has advised Indians to undertake enhanced precautionary measures during visits to China in general and Beijing in specific," said an official.
Reports suggest that this virus is less deadly than the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus, which killed nearly 800 people in 37 countries after an outbreak in China in 2002.
