Wuhan told to go back to work as new cases of coronavirus subsides in China

Some vital industries in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, were told they can resume work on Wednesday, a day after President Xi Jinping visited there for the first time since the outbreak began.

The city of 11 million has been in lockdown since late January but Xi’s visit signaled the tide was turning in the government’s favor as it fights to contain a virus that as of Tuesday had infected 80,778 people in China and killed 3,158.

Authorities elsewhere in China lowered emergency response levels to the epidemic and relaxed travel restrictions.

Drawing confidence from Xi’s visit and falling new infections, the Hubei provincial government said public transport workers in Wuhan and those engaged in making medical supplies and producing daily necessities would be allowed to return to work.