Manchester sends support to sister city Wuhan as it fights deadly virus

Manchester City Council has sent a letter of support to it's Chinese sister city, Wuhan, following an outbreak of Coronavirus.

The area is the worst Chinese city affected and has been put on lockdown to try and stop the spread of the infection.

A second hospital is being build there to specifically treat patients.

An unprecedented national lockdown that has kept people from travelling was expanded to more than 50 million residents, and authorities cancelled a host of Lunar New Year events.

Manchester and Wuhan first became sister cities in 1986 to encourage trade and investment between the UK and China.

In a letter to Wuhan's mayor, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese wrote:

"Dear Mayor Zhou,

I am writing to express our support to our esteemed sister city of Wuhan during this difficult time due to the emerging public health issues presented by the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Our thoughts are with the families and relatives of all of those affected by the virus in the city of Wuhan and beyond.

We understand that this already difficult situation will have been amplified by the preparations already underway to celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Rat.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you, your family and all our colleagues in Wuhan a happy and prosperous New Year. We look forward to continuing and developing the relationship between Wuhan and Manchester in 2020 and beyond.

Yours sincerely

Richard Leese

Leader, Manchester City Council

Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester"