A leading coronavirus expert in China has claimed the number of daily infections in epicentre Wuhan could drop to zero by the end of March.
Prof Zhang Boli, a member of the expert team appointed by Beijing to handle the health crisis, also suggested that daily growth was likely to stop in other parts of Hubei Province from as early as next week.
The majority parts of Hubei, including its populous capital Wuhan, have been on lockdown for more than a month to stop the spread of the disease.
Daily patient growth in Wuhan is likely to stop by the end of March, according to Prof Zhang Boli, a member of the expert team appointed by Beijing to handle the health crisis. Pictured above, medical workers in protective suits distribute meals to coronavirus patients being treated at a makeshift hospital converted from a sports hall in Wuhan on March 2
In other parts of Hubei, a zero daily toll may start to appear from next week, the expert added. The picture shows medical staff members waving to a recovered patient at Leishenshan Hospital, an emergency facility built in 12 days in Wuhan to treat patients, on March 1
Prof Zhang is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering as well as President of the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
He made the comments during an interview today with People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China.
He said: ‘It is hopeful that the new cases can return to zero in Wuhan by the end of March.
‘Judging from the overall development of the epidemic, this is the situation. But it is not definite. Occasionally there will still be a few cases.’
Prof Zhang believed that life would return to normal in all other provinces in China by the end of April, and in Hubei by the end of May.
But he urged the public to continue wearing face masks as a way to prevent the outbreak from taking hold once more.
The aerial picture taken on February 2 shows Huoshenshan Hospital, the first dedicated coronavirus hospital built in Wuhan, upon its completion 10 days after ground was broken
Medics are pictured transferring patients to Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan on February 4
‘Even if the daily cases drop to zero throughout the nation, [we] should still keep the good habits of avoiding gatherings, washing hands frequently and wearing face masks for some time,’ he warned.
‘After all, now the epidemic is facing a tough “second half” with outbreaks taking place abroad. [We] ought to prevent imported cases.’
Originating in Wuhan, the COVID-19 coronavirus has killed at least 3,012 people and infected more than 80,440 inside China.
The number of new daily cases and deaths in the nation have been decreasing quickly in the past week.
Globally, at least 96,400 people have been infected with the virus and 3,301 have died
A woman checks her son’s forehead on January 27 as they ride electric bikes in Wuhan
Wuhan locals wear protective mask as they line up to pay in the supermarket on February 12
China’s National Health Commission reported 139 new infections yesterday, including 134 in Hubei. Nationwide, 38 patients died, with 31 of the fatalities occurring in Hubei.
In Wuhan, the epicentre with 14 million people, 131 people were diagnosed yesterday and 23 people died.
Just three weeks ago, China saw a spike in the number of daily cases because of a change in the diagnosis.
On February 12 alone, the number of newly diagnosed patients surged to 15,152 compared to 2,015 from the day before, while the daily deaths jumped nearly three times to 254.
Outside China, more than 70 nations are now battling the contagion, with South Korea, Italy, Japan and Iran among the worst-affected.
At least 96,400 people have been infected with the virus and 3,301 have died across the world.