On Tuesday, China announced that a lockdown would be lifted on more than 50 million people in central Hubei province where the coronavirus first emerged late last year.

There are signs that life is returning to normal in the region, with authorities reopening a popular section of the iconic Great Wall.

The Hubei Health Commission announced it would lift curbs on outgoing travellers starting March 25, provided they had a health clearance code.

The provincial capital Wuhan, where the virus first appeared and which has been in total lockdown since January 23, will see its travel restrictions lifted on April 8.

But there are also fears about a second wave of infections in the country, created by people arriving from overseas. As nations across the globe battle to contain the pandemic, China's tally of imported cases has soared.