Wuhan-based Cameroonians write Biya, say they are abandoned in the face of coronavirus outbreak

Cameroonians schooling and working in Wuhan~ Hubei Province in China have addressed the head of state President Paul Biya on the recent coronavirus outbreak in the city.

In the letter, they note that about 300 of them are residents in Hubei Province which happens to be the epicenter of the Coronavirus 2019-nCov epidemic.

“With shopping centers, markets, and transportation at a standstill, we are therefore very anxious about the future of events”.

Noting that Wuhan has been in quarantine since 23 January 2020, they say Cameroon authorities have since failed to give them any official responses.
“Despite our many approaches (phone calls and correspondences) to the Cameroonian Embassy in Beijing, we remain without news or official answers to reassure us or give humanitarian instructions”.

Their frustration they add, ” is even greater when our colleagues from neighbouring countries receive both moral and physical support from their hierarchy. We refuse to believe that we have been abandoned, which is why we want to seize this opportunity to cry out for help from you”.

The letter goes on to propose measures the government of Cameroon like its counterparts can take to ensure their safety.
“We wish to suggest that we be provided with a Hotline or Emergency number for all Cameroonians in China via the Embassy. Above all, Your Excellency, we pray to be provided with the most urgent necessities at this time of crisis: masks, disinfectants and food”.

This they say is because most shops have been emptied and many of them have already exhausted their reserves “and are completely stranded”.

With the recent outbreak of the virus, several countries have been employing different measures to ensure the safety of their citizens both in China and at home.

Close to 8000 people have been infected so far, with no cure in sight.