Before Coronavirus, I’d never even heard of Wuhan. Once cases started appearing in the USA, I would constantly hear that the person in question “had just returned from the Wuhan province”. Apparently there are tons of Chinese people in the USA who go back and forth to Wuhan all the frikkin’ time.
“Apparently there are tons of Chinese people in the USA who go back and forth to Wuhan all the frikkin’ time.”
It’s a huge city, and back then you could fly to China from US hubs for under $500 round trip (including bags, meals, and beer/wine). Made sense that people did just that. What didn’t make sense is that no one in power seemed to know that was going on, or they didn’t think that people with non-slanty eyes could get the virus. They were wrong.
China Southern flew several non-stop flights a week directly between Wuhan and JFK, LAX and SFO.
International round trip air travel from China to US isn’t all that expensive, about $1,500 for a coach seat. An Air China 747 can really tight pack them in, the average Chinese being a relatively small person who’s accustomed to living in tight spaces.