Many people are making a heroic sacrifice for the good of the country. CHINA DAILY
Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, is usually a bustling city during Spring Festival. All corners of the city rang with the cries of vendors, the laughter of friends and the music of busy bars and restaurants. However, things went very differently this year due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
湖北省省会武汉在春节期间往往热闹非凡。城市的大街小巷中回荡着商贩的叫卖声、亲友的欢笑声以及从忙碌的酒吧餐厅中传出的音乐声。但由于新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情，今年的情况大不相同。
On Jan 23, Wuhan was locked down to control the spread of the virus. The transport hub of more than 10 million people temporarily closed its airports, rail stations and all main roads out of town, as well as suspended public buses and subways.
1月23日，武汉为控制病毒传播宣布“封城”。这座千万级人口的交通枢纽暂时关闭了机场、火车站以及所有主要道路等离汉通道，全城公交、地铁暂停运营。
The closure was “a very difficult decision” in the words of Wang Xiaodong, governor of Hubei province. Talking to China Daily, he said: “What we are most worried about is the inconvenience to people’s daily life. Our hope is to exchange short-term difficulties for long-term peace and safety as soon as possible.”
湖北省省长王晓东表示，关闭离汉通道是“一个非常艰难的抉择”。在接受《中国日报》采访时，他表示：“最担心的是，给人民群众的生活带来不便。我们的愿望是，以短暂的困难，尽快换取长久平安。”
Without doubt, the lockdown has brought hardship to the people of Wuhan. According to Xinhua News Agency, the city has suffered a shortage of vegetables, masks, safety goggles, medical workers and beds for the infected. But in the face of a viral outbreak, a quarantine is the most effective and immediate method to prevent a more serious situation from developing. Before and during the Spring Festival, controlling the flow of crowds was a key issue.
毫无疑问，封城给武汉市民带来了困难。据新华社报道，武汉面临着蔬菜、口罩、护目镜、医护工作者以及患者床位短缺的情况。但在疫情面前，为了防止疫情加重，设置隔离区是最为直接有效的方法。控制春节前夕和春节期间的人口流动，成为了关键。
In order to solve the problems in Wuhan, the local market supervision administration increased its efforts to ensure food supply and stabilize market prices. Meanwhile, the central government sent more than 30,000 medical workers from around China to Wuhan. Two new hospitals — Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital － were completed in 10 days, with the labor of more than 4,000 workers.
为了解决武汉的实际困难，当地市场监管部门加大力度保证粮食供给，稳定市场价格。与此同时，中央也从全国各地组织了三万多名医护人员驰援武汉。在4000多名工人奋战建设下，短短十天便建起了火神山、雷神山两座新医院。
President Xi Jinping has said “Wuhan is a heroic city and people of Hubei and Wuhan are heroic people who have never been crushed by any difficulty and danger in history.”
国家主席习近平指出，“武汉是英雄的城市，湖北人民、武汉人民是英雄的人民，历史上从来没有被艰难险阻压垮过。”
All of these measures have paid off. According to China Daily, the number of newly infected patients outside Hubei had reduced for 15 consecutive days on Chinese mainland as of Feb 18.
所有这些措施都取得了一定的成效。据《中国日报》报道，截至2月18日，全国除湖北以外地区新增确诊连续15日呈现下降态势。
To some extent, “the idea of sacrificing one’s self for a greater, national goal is deeply embedded in Chinese culture,” Bloomberg noted. This spirit of shared sacrifice may explain why Wuhan citizens are willing to follow the rules, staying in their city to protect the whole nation.
从某种程度而言，“牺牲小我，成就大我的观念深植于中华文化之中，”彭博社指出。这种共患难的精神或许解释了武汉市民为何愿意听从指挥不离开武汉，从而保护了整个国家。
