The people of Wuhan have been told to wear masks in public and are being prevented from leaving the city GETTY IMAGESEleven million people are under quarantine in the Chinese city of Wuhan in an unprecedented move by the communist authorities to contain a viral outbreak that scientists said today may have originated from snakes. Chinese scientists say that the virus, which has killed at least 17 people, likely resulted from the combination of viruses from a bat and a snake which were then transmitted to humans, probably at a food market close to one of Wuhan’s main railway stations. As well as conventional meat, the market sold live and slaughtered wild animals, including foxes, crocodiles, donkeys, bamboo rats, badgers, hedgehogs, wolf cubs, giant salamanders, snakes, rats, peacocks, porcupines, and camel meat. All outbound flights and trains from Wuhan were suspended at 10am and public transport…

Source: The Times January 23, 2020 00:04 UTC