China’s Virus-Hit City of Wuhan to Get Goods Supplies Via 24/7 ‘Green Corridors’ - Reports

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China’s Commerce Ministry has created a special mechanism of "green corridors" to ensure direct supplies of basic goods to the central city of Wuhan, which has been on lockdown over a deadly coronavirus outbreak, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

According to the ministry, the authorities are closely monitoring prices in light of a virus outbreak, saying that they remain stable when it comes to food and essential goods.

The Commerce Ministry in Hubei Province is meanwhile taking measures to avoid food shortages in Wuhan, including through drawing down a part of food reserves that were stocked for Chinese New Year holidays.

Wuhan, with a population of 11 million, has been on lockdown since Thursday morning due to the virus outbreak. The authorities have restricted travel for residents and suspended transport services, including the subway, buses, and ferries. All flights from and to the city have been cancelled as well.

The unknown type of viral pneumonia was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in late December. It has since been confirmed to be a new strain of the coronavirus – 2019-nCoV or Novel Coronavirus.

According to the latest official data, 1,287 people have been infected with the virus across China, with 41 people having died of the disease.

Confirmed cases of the new coronavirus have also been recorded in the United States, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, France, Nepal, and Australia