Wuhan residents on how virus changed routines

Residents in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic began back in December, were cautiously returning to shopping and strolling the streets on Thursday.People in the city had been in lockdown for several months after the government introduced strict restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.

A ban on leaving Wuhan ended this week, but the city's 11 million residents face a thicket of controls.Office buildings require visitors to show a smartphone app that tracks their health while those using public transport must also scan an app which tells authorities they are healthy.The city is taking gradual steps toward reviving business and daily life while trying to prevent a resurgence of the virus.

Teacher Leng Jie said the whole ordeal had made her pay more attention to hygiene whilst out in public.She said: "I cultivated a better self-protection awareness."Wuhan accounted for 2,574 of the deaths reported by the National Health Commission as of Thursday.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

(Image Credit: AP)