China has recorded no new domestic cases of coronavirus for the first time since the pandemic exploded there.
The only new cases of the disease on Wednesday were in patients arriving into the country from abroad.
It’s being hailed as a landmark day in the world wide war on Covid-19.
China was ground zero for the global outbreak in January.
Its Government ordered a draconian containment regime and quarantined tens of millions and entire cities.
People were also subject to temperature checks if they went outside and sent to quarantine hotels for 14 days if they had a fever.
The lack of any new Chinese cases is providing a ray of hope for the rest of the world.
Europe is the new epicentre of the pandemic and the grim death toll in Italy looked set to overtake China yesterday.
There were 34 new cases of coronavirus in China on Thursday according to the country’s national health commission, but all were recent overseas arrivals.
In Hubei, the Chinese province where the outbreak began in the sprawling city of Wuhan, there were no new cases of any kind during Wednesday.
Strict curfews in the city were eased, allowing people in residential compounds deemed “virus free” to leave their homes in staggered groups.
In areas that have been without infections for seven consecutive days, residents can now go out freely.
In Wuhan officials said 5,600 residential areas, or 78% of the city, are virus-free.
There are now concerns about a second wave of infections, driven by people returning from overseas.
Many countries in the region including Australia, New Zealand are closing their borders, sparking a rush of travellers wishing to return home.
China has been criticised for ignoring a doctor who tried to warn the world of coronavirus in November.
However it is now holding itself up as a model of enforcing strict social distancing which is the world’s best weapon against the virus.
It cancelled nationwide new year celebrations, shut schools and forced residents to stay home.
China is now sending doctors and equipment to other stricken countries including Italy after coming through the worst of the crisis.
