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Most of Hubei province has lifted its severe coronavirus lockdown restrictions after social isolation measures appeared to curb Covid-19 cases.

While the province's capital Wuhan remains under lockdown until April 8, employees have been told to return to work in the rest of the province.

It follows a relaxing of social distancing measures in Beijing, where people could be seen hugging each other on the streets for the first time in weeks.

Meanwhile, Europe has become the new epicentre for the virus, with deaths in Italy surpassing those of China, where the flu began.

The rest of China has also reported a drop in new confirmed coronavirus cases as imported infections fell and no locally transmitted infections were reported.

The Hubei government on Wednesday told workers who had been quarantined at home to go back to work as soon as possible.

People were also able to leave Hubei by train and bus, while the Wudang Mountains, a top scenic site, reopened for visitors, according to state media.

Hubei Party Secretary Ying Yong said on Tuesday that while the lifting of traffic restrictions means life is gradually getting back to normal, the government will continue to work hard to prevent a rebound in infections as population movements increase.

To prevent a surge in imported cases, China is ramping up quarantine and screening rules for all international arrivals.

The city of Quanzhou in Fujian province will cancel all international and regional flights, starting on March 26, after four imported cases from the Philippines were found on Tuesday.

The Quanzhou Jinjiang international airport will cancel 17 routes including those connecting Manila, Hong Kong, and Macau, the Fujian government said in a notice.

Beijing has already diverted flights to other cities where passengers will be screened and quarantined.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 45 show all The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1/45 Getty Images 2/45 A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters 3/45 Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP 4/45 A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images 5/45 Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images 6/45 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 7/45 View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images 8/45 Rome AFP via Getty Images 9/45 An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images 10/45 Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images 11/45 A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters 12/45 Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images 13/45 Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images 14/45 Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images 15/45 The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images 16/45 Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images 17/45 An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP 18/45 Venice Beach, California Getty Images 19/45 Los Angeles, California Getty Images 20/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 21/45 Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images 22/45 Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters 23/45 A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images 24/45 Caracas AFP via Getty Images 25/45 Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images 26/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 27/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 28/45 A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images 29/45 Florida Keys AP 30/45 The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP 31/45 The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP 32/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 33/45 A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images 34/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 35/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 36/45 Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters 37/45 An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images 38/45 The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images 39/45 Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images 40/45 An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images 41/45 A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP 42/45 A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters 43/45 Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images 44/45 A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA 45/45 Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA 1/45 Getty Images 2/45 A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters 3/45 Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP 4/45 A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images 5/45 Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images 6/45 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 7/45 View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images 8/45 Rome AFP via Getty Images 9/45 An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images 10/45 Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images 11/45 A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters 12/45 Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images 13/45 Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images 14/45 Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images 15/45 The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images 16/45 Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images 17/45 An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP 18/45 Venice Beach, California Getty Images 19/45 Los Angeles, California Getty Images 20/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 21/45 Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images 22/45 Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters 23/45 A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images 24/45 Caracas AFP via Getty Images 25/45 Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images 26/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 27/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 28/45 A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images 29/45 Florida Keys AP 30/45 The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP 31/45 The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP 32/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 33/45 A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images 34/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 35/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 36/45 Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters 37/45 An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images 38/45 The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images 39/45 Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images 40/45 An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images 41/45 A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP 42/45 A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters 43/45 Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images 44/45 A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA 45/45 Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

The number of new coronavirus cases in China totalled 47 on Tuesday, all of which were from travellers returning home, down from 78 a day earlier, the National Health Commission said.

New imported cases in Beijing, Guangdong and Fujian declined, though the daily tally of new imported infections rose to a record 19 cases in the financial hub of Shanghai.

New cases of infected international arrivals were also reported in the city of Tianjin, the Inner Mongolia region, and the provinces of Jiangsu, Sichuan, Jilin, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Shaanxi.

In Hubei, no new infections were reported despite three new deaths, including two in Wuhan, where the virus first appeared late last year. On Wednesday, local authorities downgraded Wuhan's epidemic risk level from "high" to "medium".

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

The total number of confirmed cases in mainland China stands at 81,218, with 474 imported infections. The death toll in mainland China reached 3,281 as of the end of Tuesday, up by four from the previous day.