The worry with Chinese populations is that the biggest cultural migration on the planet is about to happen, in and out of China, for Lunar new year. Sooo many people ‘going home’ for family celebrations. The exact thing you’d hope to avoid if you’re trying to contain a virus spreading.
If the epicentre of a virus was New York or Sydney, and Xmas was days away, that’d be the same issue (but on a far smaller scale, population wise).
My govt (not UK) is trying to assure us that ‘serious screening measures’ are already in place at our airports, so not to worry. Um... do you mean asking people disembarking from planes if they feel sick? For a virus that is known to be fairly asymptomatic, and otherwise mimics a cold? People who may not speak English, and/or are trying to get to family or back to work? Wonder what they’ll answer?
My city has 2 flights a week coming in from the city that the virus started in. Sometimes I wonder if the authorities are actually going with ‘we can’t really do anything, so let’s speed up the virus spread and let the cards fall where they may. Spend what resources we have treating victims and burying the dead.’