Why Wuhan is at the center of the viral outbreak
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Saturday
June 25, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022
Why Wuhan is at the center of the viral outbreak

South Asia

Shuli Ren
25 January, 2020, 12:40 pm
Last modified: 25 January, 2020, 04:02 pm

Related News

  • Indonesia to drop outdoor mask mandate as Covid-19 infections drop
  • WHO: Covid-19 falling everywhere, except Americas and Africa
  • N Korea reports first Covid-19 outbreak, orders lockdown
  • 34 volunteers chose to get covid. Here’s what scientists learned
  • Setback for Shanghai's Covid battle; Beijing focus on mass testing

Why Wuhan is at the center of the viral outbreak

The city has been pouring resources into science and research, while public-health spending has stagnated.

Shuli Ren
25 January, 2020, 12:40 pm
Last modified: 25 January, 2020, 04:02 pm
Why Wuhan is at the center of the viral outbreak

China's happiest city isn't so happy these days. Wuhan, which branded itself as a Chinese version of Phoenix, is now the epicenter of a SARS-like virus that has sickened hundreds. It's worth asking why this disease came out of an inland technology hub that boasts a young — and presumably healthier — workforce, rather than the mega-cities of Beijing or Shanghai.

Wuhan is an immigrants' town. It's home to one of China's most prestigious engineering schools, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Roughly 9% of the population is university students, well above the 3% level for Beijing and Shanghai. As of 2018, more than 11 million lived there — making it 25% bigger than New York — but only 8.8 million are permanent residents.

An immigrants' town

Millions in Wuhan would be traveling during the Lunar New Year. Roughly a quarter of the 11 million that live there are non-residents.

As a result, millions living in Wuhan have been traveling for the Lunar New Year. During last year's festival season, the city's main railway station, which is only one kilometer (0.62 miles) from the seafood market where the outbreak began, hosted 5.5 million commuters. While China suspended all railway travel and flights out of Wuhan on Thursday, much of the traveling may have already been done. The engineering school, for instance, started its winter break on Jan. 9.

Wuhan has been carefully fostering a reputation as an alternative to Shenzhen. In its latest five-year plan, the city set a target of keeping 1 million college graduates by relaxing its hukou system, the equivalent of a green card that entitles holders to social services such as public-school education. Roughly 21 million travelers passed through the city's airport in 2016, and a new terminal can host 35 million a year. Chinese society has become a lot more mobile since the SARS epidemic of 2003.

The high volume of labor migration isn't to blame, however. A city may well expand in size, but basic public services must keep up, too. Take a look at Wuhan's fiscal spending. While money has poured into hot areas such as technology research, expenditure on public health has been stagnant. As recently as last June, Wuhan residents complained about poor hygiene at the seafood market, but the municipality didn't respond. While Beijing and Shanghai host lots of migrants, too, both cities spend more on this sector. Populations there have flattened amid restrictions on labor inflows.

Where the money is

In recent years, Wuhan's fiscal spending on the sciences has ballooned, while public health spending has been stagnant.

Granted, money is tight for local governments as the economy slows, especially after last year's $300 billion tax cut. As a result, bureaucrats have to make a tough decision between grants to chip designers and public health. The former serves President Xi Jinping's Made in China 2025 drive, while the latter minimizes black swan scenarios.

The temptation, unfortunately, is that local officials embrace China's industrial ambitions. It's a lot easier to make a plan for the future than fix the past. After all, the Chinese have had a taste for exotic animal meat for centuries; why should we worry about the hygiene of a wet market now? Until this mentality is cleansed, however, we can only expect more outbreaks.

World+Biz / Top News

Coronavirus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Photo: PMO Press Wing
    Building Padma Bridge a perfect reply to conspirators: Sheikh Hasina
  • Her grit made it possible
    Her grit made it possible
  • Photo: PMO Press Wing
    New era begins as PM Hasina opens Padma Bridge

MOST VIEWED

  • A healthcare worker collects the nasal sample of a policeman for Covid testing in Jammu on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)
    India’s daily Covid tally declines with 15,940 cases, 20 new deaths added
  • General view of a protest area, dubbed the Gota-Go village, where people are gathering in opposition to Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa near the Presidential Secretariat is seen, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 11, 2022. Picture taken April 11, 2022. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte
    Sri Lanka banks on 'Casino King' to woo investors
  • The reported action against Sajid Mir comes after years of dillydallying by Pakistan, which feigned ignorance of his existence despite a French court convicting the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s top operative in absentia. (Reuters)
    LeT’s 26/11 attacks mastermind, once claimed to be dead, arrested, says Pak
  • A heavy lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force was used to ferry the first consignment of relief materials while a chartered flight of Kam Air carried the second consignment of aid for Afghan people affected by the earthquake that struck early on Wednesday. (TWITTER/@MEAIndia.)
    India sends aid to Afghanistan, Taliban welcome return of Indian diplomats
  • Photo :ANI via Hindustan Times
    Gujarat riots: SC dismisses plea against India PM
  • A vendor sells tomatoes at the Azadpur wholesale market in New Delhi.Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/Bloomberg
    India's inflation fight will not be painless, says RBI official 

Related News

  • Indonesia to drop outdoor mask mandate as Covid-19 infections drop
  • WHO: Covid-19 falling everywhere, except Americas and Africa
  • N Korea reports first Covid-19 outbreak, orders lockdown
  • 34 volunteers chose to get covid. Here’s what scientists learned
  • Setback for Shanghai's Covid battle; Beijing focus on mass testing

Features

In pictures: 2022 Dhaka Motor Show

In pictures: 2022 Dhaka Motor Show

6h | Wheels
Our team full of hope and mettle, before we entered the disaster zone. PHOTO: SWAMIM AHMED

How we survived 4 days in Sunamganj flood

1d | Panorama
Photo: Bipul Sarker Sunny

Immigrants or refugees: Who really are the Maldoiyas?

1d | Features
Selim Raihan, executive director, Sanem. Photo: TBS

'To make full use of the bridge's connectivity in this region, we need Padma Plus'

1d | Interviews

More Videos from TBS

Is Padma Bridge really expensive?

Is Padma Bridge really expensive?

1h | Videos
Messi means record, record means Messi

Messi means record, record means Messi

18h | Videos
Zovan, Safa to star in '24 Ghonta'

Zovan, Safa to star in '24 Ghonta'

18h | Videos
Modern rehabilitation centre for those affected by Padma Bridge land acquisition

Modern rehabilitation centre for those affected by Padma Bridge land acquisition

19h | Videos

Most Read

1
Photo: Prime Minister's Office
Bangladesh

New investment in transports as Padma Bridge set to open

2
Japan cancels financing Matarbari coal project phase 2
Bangladesh

Japan cancels financing Matarbari coal project phase 2

3
Photo: TBS
Infrastructure

Gains from Padma Bridge to cross $10b, hope experts

4
Desco wanted to make a bold statement with their new head office building, a physical entity that would be a corporate icon. Photo: Courtesy
Habitat

Desco head office: When commitment to community and environment inspires architecture

5
Multiple robbery incidents reported in flood stranded Sylhet and Sunamganj
Bangladesh

Multiple robbery incidents reported in flood stranded Sylhet and Sunamganj

6
20 businesses get nod for $326m foreign loan for expansion
Economy

20 businesses get nod for $326m foreign loan for expansion

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab
BENEATH THE SURFACE
Cattle graze on the bank of the River Padma at Paschim Painpara near Jajira end of the Padma Bridge. Photo: Mumit M

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net