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“It’s dangerous and sad,” Huang said, describing a situation that almost sounds like house arrest.

For food, there’s a limited supply of groceries and prices are very high, he said.

Huang, a program analyst with the RCMP and a Canadian citizen, said he needs to get back home to be with his family. He said he has a baby and 10-year-old son and his wife has a full-time job.

Huang, who lives in the Barrhaven community of Stonebridge, said he has also been contacting the office of his MP, Chandra Arya, to see if he can get political help.

There’s another wrinkle in the family’s evacuation efforts: Huang said he has been informed by the Canadian government that his mother, despite being a permanent resident of Canada, won’t be able to get a seat on a special flight out of Wuhan. That worries Huang because his mother had a stroke last year and it’s hard to get medical treatment in Wuhan if she needs it.

The woman whose parents are similarly trapped in Wuhan is now a Canadian citizen but does not want her name to be used because of her criticism of the Chinese government.

“I’m not just concerned about the medical emergency and the virus outbreak, I think this may lead to something more serious, she said Tuesday. “I’m fearful the current situation will lead to violent political unrest and military oppression.

“I’ve been through Tiananmen Square in 1989 and the current atmosphere in Wuhan feels a lot like Beijing leading up to the horrific event.”