Mainland Says No New Domestic Cases Reported

Mainland authorities lifted tough restrictions placed in Hubei, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, on Wednesday after a months-long lockdown as the officials said no new domestic cases were recorded in the country.

But there were another 47 imported infections from overseas, the National Health Commission said, as the number of cases brought into the country continued to swell.

In total, 474 imported infections have been diagnosed – mostly Chinese nationals returning home according to the foreign ministry.

Four more people died, health officials said, three in Hubei province where the virus first emerged late last year.

The mainland authorities had announced on Tuesday that the lockdown would be lifted on more than 50 million people in Hubei, with residents now allowed to leave if healthy, with some airports and train stations opening.

The city of Wuhan – the initial epicentre of the outbreak – will allow residents to leave from April 8.

Hubei ordered the shutdown in January but had been gradually easing rules and permitting people to move about within the province and return to work over recent days.

Schools remain closed, however.

There have been more than 81,200 cases of Covid-19 on the mainland and 3,281 deaths from the virus.

New cases recorded on the mainland have slowed dramatically over the last month. (AFP)