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China's Hubei lifts restrictions as no new local cases reported

BEIJING: After a months-long lockdown, China went easy on the tough restrictions on the initial epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday, as the country reported no new local cases.

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 in China -- mostly Chinese nationals returning home according to the foreign ministry.

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

China announced 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.

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.

Hubei transport official Wang Benju said in a press briefing on Wednesday that all transport restrictions in the province except Wuhan will end by Friday.

The city of Wuhan -- the initial epicenter of the outbreak -- will allow residents to leave from April 8, and allow incoming trains to the city from March 28.

Wuhan airport will resume domestic passenger flights starting the same day, authorities said Wednesday -- but will not operate flights to and from Beijing.

Trains will begin arriving into all Wuhan stations from March 28, said Bao Liqun, deputy CEO of China Railway Wuhan Group.

Schools remain closed, however.