Wuhan reopens more bus routes

China's Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic originated last December, on Sunday reopened more bus routes, as the city gets its public transportation system back on track after almost two month of lockdown.

The Hubei provincial capital with a population of some 11 million has added 36 bus routes in the downtown area, bringing the total number to 180, while other districts were allowed to resume bus routes gradually starting Sunday, Xinhua news agency quoted the local transport authority as saying.

Passengers were required to wear masks and scan health codes when taking the buses in order to reduce the risks of infection, according to relevant regulations.

Wuhan also reopened its subway and railway station on Saturday, while the Civil Aviation Administration of China announced that domestic passenger flights will resume operations in Hubei province, except in the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, from March 29.

The CAAC said that the Wuhan airport will restore operations for domestic passenger flights from April 8.

Also on Saturday, Wuhan had its COVID-19 risk evaluation downgraded from "high risk" to "medium risk".

Meanwhile,provincial health authorities announced on Sunday that there have been no new confirmed coronavirus case either in Wuhan or anywhere else in Hubei.

Due to the lack of cases, authorities last week announced that travel curbs will be lifted in Wuhan from April 8 after over two months of lockdown.

On January 23, Wuhan declared unprecedented traffic restrictions, including suspending the city's public transport and all outbound flights and trains, in an attempt to contain the epidemic within its territory.

Similar restrictions were soon introduced in other areas in Hubei.

As of Sunday, there were 82,057 confirmed cases in China and 3,304 deaths

Although the virus emerged in China, it now has fewer cases than the US and fewer deaths than Italy and Spain. IANS