Travel in China Slumps 44% Amid Coronavirus Epidemic
Yicai Global
DATE:  Feb 13 2020
/ SOURCE:  yicai
Travel in China Slumps 44% Amid Coronavirus Epidemic Travel in China Slumps 44% Amid Coronavirus Epidemic

(Yicai Global) Feb. 12 -- Journeys in China, which is battling an epidemic of deadly novel coronavirus, fell 44.4 percent over the Chinese New Year holiday peak travel period from the same period a year earlier, according to the transport ministry.

The transportation network handled 1.4 billion passengers in the 33 days from Jan. 10 to yesterday, figures from the ministry showed. The railways carried 204 million, down 38.7 percent, while roads took about 1.1 billion, a 45.4 percent drop. The number of travelers by waterways and air reached 16.5 million and 37.2 million, sliding 52.6 percent and 38.3 percent respectively.

About 160 million people are expected to return to work by Feb. 18, when the peak holiday travel period ends, Xu Yahua, director of the ministry's transportation service division, said at a news briefing yesterday, citing analysis based on Big Data sets.

Since the peak period coincided with the virus outbreak, the ministry issued a notice yesterday requiring local transport authorities to strictly control the passenger load factor, fully implement epidemic prevention measures and guarantee that rural migrant workers can return to work.

In addition, the ministry and the National Health Commission issued a joint notice today to ensure the return of workers and the resumption of work as well as control the virus. They also urged local governments to avoid taking a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to isolation measures that adversely affect transport safety.

Editor: Peter Thomas

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Keywords:   Ministry of Transport,Chunyun,Spring Festival Travel Season