'Open the windows and let the wind blow in,' exhorts a shopping mall sign in Beijing 'Open the windows and let the wind blow in,' exhorts a shopping mall sign in Beijing (AP photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak expands, food prices in the Chinese capital Beijing have surged by 40 percent, partly a result of restrictions on transportation, the Epoch Times reported Friday (Feb. 28).

Virus prevention measures in Beijing have been upgraded to the same level as in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak started.

As a result, people moving in and out of the Chinese capital are required to show documents such as housing rental contracts or driver’s licenses before they can even apply for transit passes. The policy of closing off areas and roads has thus added to the cost of transporting goods as well, according to the Epoch Times.

Meat and vegetables have been particularly affected, with the price of beef almost doubling, the report quoted a resident of Beijing as saying.

As the worst-affected neighborhoods have been almost entirely closed off to traffic and to pedestrians, business has almost come to a complete standstill. Food has not only become more expensive, but some products, such as instant noodles, are unavailable, according to the Epoch Times.

Workers from outside the city have been advised to stay away because of the difficulty they would have leaving.