When everyone drove back to Beijing, the atmosphere throughout the team had grown a bit solemn. The General Administration of Sport closed swimming pools, gymnasiums, and tennis courts that had previously been open to the public for reservations. Even the elderly gatekeeper began strictly screening visitors, barring any strangers from entering.
An epidemic sweeping across China and the world alike could no longer be contained at the local level and had started spreading nationwide. At first, everyone thought it was just a severe case of SARS, until the massive outbreak engulfed the entire city of Wuhan.
Television broadcasts began continuously reporting on the overcrowded hospitals in Wuhan. Entertainment news gradually disappeared from major media outlets, replaced by reports on hospitals, disease prevention, and public health education regarding the epidemic. An atmosphere of panic began to take root in society, and various regions gradually entered a state of emergency. As the capital, Beijing was the most strictly controlled place of all.
Chapter 78