Stronger family bonds

Yan Kuo, who works for a Chinese high-tech company in Russia, said he cannot wait to return to the country from Wuhan to ensure that new projects are carried out smoothly. The 41-year-old is working online until after midnight due to the time difference between the two countries.

"I didn't expect the lockdown to last so long, but it's understandable," said Yan, who joined his wife and two children in Wuhan for Spring Festival. "On the other hand, faced with the epidemic, the bonds among our family members have become stronger than ever. I think many Wuhan families feel the same way. "

Xiao warned that after the situation stabilizes, cases of psychological trauma are likely to emerge, especially for those who have lost loved ones.

In many cases, more than one member of a household died from the virus as families gathered for Spring Festival. As a result, those who survived may be wondering why they lost their loved ones. For people who lost family members but were unable to be with them when they died, because of the lockdown, the trauma could be even more severe, Xiao said.

"People in Wuhan might complain about the inconvenience caused by the lockdown, but everyone I've talked to supports the decision and has been following the government's instructions. I hope China can be proud of Wuhan people, who are fighters, too."

The WHO-China Joint Mission report said that on an individual level, the Chinese people had reacted to the outbreak with "courage and conviction", accepting and adhering to the "starkest of containment measures". However, curbing the outbreak has come at a great cost and sacrifice by the country and its people, in both human and material terms.

In an address to reporters and public health officials in Beijing on Feb 24, Bruce Aylward, a top Canadian epidemiologist who headed the Joint Mission and visited Wuhan, said, "To the people of Wuhan, it is recognized that the world is in your debt."