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Vienna native living in China sees impact of virus outbreak

By Paul LaPann 5 min read

JINZHOU, China -- Matt Freed, a 1999 graduate of Parkersburg High School, has seen the effects of the coronavirus outbreak in China.

Freed, who moved to China about 10 years ago, has been teaching English at Jinzhou Medical University since 2012.

"For the better part of a month we have been holed up in our apartment with the rules on what we can and cannot do growing by the day," Freed said in an email Tuesday.

"At this point, Jinzhou ( a city of 3 million people in northeast China) has 11 confirmed cases of the virus with Liaoning province at 111 cases with (thankfully) zero deaths. This number is growing slowly while the death toll in Wuhan (epicenter of the virus) alone is at 974 with 31,728 confirmed cases," Freed said Tuesday. Jinzhou is in Liaoning province.

On Friday morning, Freed wrote that Liaoning province had 117 confirmed cases and one death from the virus. Jinzhou, where Freed lives, had 12 confirmed cases and no deaths.

The Chinese government is suggesting that everyone stay in their homes and only go out if absolutely necessary, Freed said.

"They aren't demanding anything or forcibly upholding these rules. They suggest that family members alternate (one at a time) going outside and try to only leave their homes every other day," he said.

The apartment complexes have halted anyone, except for the residents, to enter, Freed said. All deliveries must be met at the gate, which is an inconvenience, especially when a person orders items such as two 5-gallon water bottles, he said.

Freed said his experience has not been "hectic or scary" during the virus outbreak.

He is confident that he will remain safe and that the virus situation is under control.

Freed said he and his girlfriend Mari Ong "stockpiled" masks, surgical gloves and rubbing alcohol before the virus outbreak escalated. These items are now difficult to find and their prices have been marked up, he said.

"I took a walk today and there were many people out and about (all wearing masks and keeping their distance) and everyone seemed to be in good spirits; had you not known there was a serious event going on, one would think it was just a normal day," Freed said.

The government just recently allowed people to start returning to work.

"Our university (state run) requires us to check in every morning with our health stats and we have yet to begin our classes or have not even been told when classes will resume. Leaving the house requires a mask and gloves with some provinces enforcing strict laws (with arrests and fines) if you are caught outdoors without those items," Freed said.

Freed, 39, said he reached out to the News and Sentinel to tell his story because people have contacted him about his situation regarding the coronavirus. He thought it would be a good opportunity for local residents to hear from a Vienna native who is living in China.

Hospitals, which have been inundated with people, are closed to only emergencies, Freed said. Pharmacies, fresh produce markets, clinics, certain supermarkets and convenience stores have been allowed to remain open, while some businesses along the streets are closed.

People have been prohibited from gathering in groups outside, Freed said. Parks, restaurants, cinemas and malls have been closed down.

A reward is given if you report a person exhibiting the symptoms of the virus, Freed said.

People are "just hanging out, waiting for news and figuring out ways to occupy ourselves," Freed said.

Freed enjoys teaching oral English, writing, debate and English listening and pronunciation at Jinzhou Medical University. He teaches freshmen to post-graduate students and even the other teachers and doctors.

Teaching English gives Freed an opportunity to have conversations with his students, he said. He admits his grasp of the Mandarin language needs some work.

Before being hired at the university, Freed worked at a privately owned after-school program.

Jinzhou residents seem to be remaining positive despite the virus outbreak, Freed said. The three major hospitals in Jinzhou have sent hundreds of their doctors down to Wuhan, about 977 miles away, to help find the cure/treatment for the virus, he said.

"They are being treated as heroes and are a source of pride and inspiration for the people on Jinzhou. My Chinese friends all have a great attitude and, believe it or not, are thankful for the extended break from work," Freed said.

Freed has enjoyed traveling while living overseas -- and says he has no plans of stopping his travels. He has visited about 16 countries.

Freed and Ong, who is from the Philippines, have organized a volunteer program at the local dog shelter. It is a privately owned no-kill shelter that is quickly filling up, he said.

Some of the people have been panicking with the worry that their pets could infect them with the virus ("which is nonsense") so they have just let the pets go, Freed said. Consequently, the stray dog count has increased.

"In a nutshell, living in China for all this time has given me the opportunity to explore and experience more than I could ever imagine. The people, food and places have opened my eyes to how small the world really is and how our similarities far outweigh our differences," Freed said.

Paul LaPann can be reached at plapann@newsandsentinel.com

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