https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chinas-citywide-quarantines-are-they-ethical-and-effective/

The novel coronavirus outbreak that apparently started in China’s massive city of Wuhan has now spread to other parts of that nation and several countries beyond it, including the U.S. As of late this week, health officials said the virus had infected more than 1,000 people, causing at least 41 deaths in China. Chinese authorities have responded by shutting down all travel into and out of Wuhan and about a dozen other cities, restricting the movements of around 35 million people.

The restrictions—which are occurring during the Chinese New Year holiday, when millions of people usually travel to visit their families—are an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading further within China, where the vast majority of cases have so far been concentrated. But experts are split on whether this approach is effective or fair to the residents of the affected cities.