China’s Huanggang locked down over virus; Ezhou stops trains

Health authorities in the city of around 7.5 million, which borders the central city of Wuhan where the outbreak is centered, said they would suspend public bus and railway operations from midnight

Huanggang on Thursday became the second Chinese city to go into lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak that has killed 17 people and infected more than 630.

Passengers cross the security check at the departure hall of the high speed train station in Hong Kong. (AP)

Health authorities in the city of around 7.5 million, which borders the central city of Wuhan where the outbreak is centered, said they would suspend public bus and railway operations from midnight (1600 GMT).

They also ordered indoor entertainment venues including movie theatres and internet cafes to shut, and asked citizens not to leave the city other than under special circumstances.

Another nearby city, Ezhou, said on Thursday it had shut its train stations.

Huanggang had reported 12 cases of the coronavirus as of the end of Monday.

There are growing concerns that the flu-like infection might spread rapidly as hundreds of millions of Chinese travel domestically and abroad during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday.

Wuhan is already on lockdown, shutting all urban transport networks and suspending outgoing flights from Thursday.

Of eight known cases of the virus worldwide, Thailand has confirmed four, while Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States have reported one each.