Wuhan, central China, with a population of 11 million, it is
bigger than Greater London. This is where the coronavirus outbreak began
last December. In January, as it started spreading across China, the
government took an unprecedented step, to lockdown Wuhan. Two
resident began to feel. -- film.
-- film.
Police barricades ring the city. All roads out are shot. -- shot. Lin
Wenhua, a travel logger, heads out with his camera.
Lin Wenhua has lived in Wuhan his life and the bustling city like the
back of his hand but today it is empty. Many factories, offices and
shops are closed.
The lockdown is a huge gamble, to stop the spread of the virus to the
rest of China by shutting off Wuhan. Resident do not know what it will do
to infections within the city and there is no word on when it will.
Two dozen people have already died. We had central Hospital is the
epicentre of the outbreak. -- Wuhan. It is under unprecedented strain.
This nurse in the emergency department has been treating
patients for several weeks and shed her concerned with her husband.
But the hospital needs work is like her. Despite her fears, she believes
it is her duty to carry on.
The government has shut all public transport, it has paralysed the
city. Lin Wenhua has been contact with a doctor friend with a request
for help. -- contacted.
Even those on the frontline fighting the virus are unable to get to work.
He arranges to pick up his first passenger, a nurse.
After driving several doctors and nurses to work, he drops in on his
friend. It is Chinese new Year.
Families often travel across the country to be together at Chinese
New Year. The lockdown was implemented to avoid this epic
movement of people and stop the spread of the virus beyond Wuhan.
The peoples liberation Army now arrives in Wuhan. Construction
starts on to new mega hospitals to be run by the military. 40,000
medical workers from around China are drafted in and, to solve the
transport problem, the government organises buses and hotels for
hospital staff but doctors have struggled to understand the virus
and protect themselves from it. Many are becoming infected. This man
takes his wife to the emergency department. She is not feeling well.
Soon after, she calls him.
He is told the hospitals do not have space to treat her so like others
she is sent home to self quarantine. Avoiding infection requires extreme
measures.
It has been over a week since the lockdown. New infections have grown
by 500%. There are reports that people with a virus who have stayed
at home are infecting their families and neighbours and that some are
dying in their homes but, with hospitals full, the self quarantine
policy continues.
She has never had the virus for five days. But her condition has
worsened. CRIES.
Until a bed becomes available, the couple are stuck at home.
10,000 Wuhan residents have become infected in the last week. The two
new Mega hospitals have opened. Sports stadiums and conference rooms
have been converted into giant mass confinement centres. Everyone
suspected of having coronavirus now has to be in hospital. Only a
country with China's command system could react this fast. Lin Wenhua is
helping to deliver medicine. Although there is currently no cure,
the government has advised that HIV drugs may help ease the symptoms.
HIV patients have donated their drugs to people with the virus
cannot get them through the hospitals.
BREATHES HEAVILY.
Nurse Li Ting needs to go to hospital.
It is the first time she has been out of the house for 12 days. The
doctor is checking her lungs with a CT scan.
They have to go home. He desperately calls the hospitals asking for an
available place but no luck. In bed, Li Ting speaks to him by phone in
the next room.
The next day, Li Ting is finally admitted to hospital.
Lin Wenhua has now driven over 1000 miles around Wuhan. There are
thought to be up to 50,000 volunteers like him. It is a
lifeline for the city. But they are exposing themselves to extreme risk.
But Lin Wenhua has finally hit a dead end. In a bid to self isolate,
residents have cut off the entrance to their district.
The lockdown has slowed the spread to the rest of China. But in just
one month, nearly 50,000 people have become infected in Wuhan. Now, the
government escalates the lockdown. It orders every residential complex
must close its gates. He goes to pickup and delivery.
-- He goes to pickup a delivery.
Food supplies are now organised by the management of each apartment
block. Anyone who tries to leave risks being arrested. If new
infections are now being reported. Li Ting is still in hospital. But
she is finally on the mend.
Lin Wenhua is also now confined to his complex. He is unable to carry
on his volunteering work. And he is having to miss a big family event.