China to Lift Wuhan Lockdown on April 8

Chinese authorities will lift the months-long lockdown in the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first detected, on April 8, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to Xinhua news agency, the local health authorities in Hubei Province, which includes Wuhan city, has declared a series of new regulations regarding easing restrictions on movement in the area.

Authorities had put the city of 11 million under lockdown on Jan. 23 in order to stem the spread of COVID-19, which killed nearly 3,300 people and infected over 81,000 in mainland China.

The decision comes after the city reported no new indigenous infection in the last five days. However, a new positive case was reported in the city on Tuesday.

After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 168 countries and regions, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

There are 381,499 confirmed cases worldwide and the death toll now tops 16,500, while over 101,000 people have recovered. (AA)