Thousands of Miles From Wuhan, a U.S. City Is Shaken by Coronavirus

Now, as the coronavirus renders his home city a ghost town, overwhelming hospitals and forcing his friends and family to don masks in their own homes, Mr. Zhang is updated constantly despite living over 7,000 miles away, in Pittsburgh.“I might be finding things out faster than my parents,” he said, describing a steady stream of videos, photographs and reports from his friends in Wuhan, even information about specific apartments in specific buildings where the coronavirus has apparently struck.It’s a small world after all, a frightening thought if the virus becomes a global pandemic, but a mixed blessing for the scores of Wuhan natives living in Pittsburgh, which has been a “sister city” of Wuhan for nearly 40 years.The designation does not mean much officially, beyond the creation of some local partnerships and occasional delegation visits, where ideas about economics and bike-share plans are exchanged. Natives of Wuhan in Pittsburgh, many of whom are friends with the doctors now in Wuhan hospitals, heard dire reports.“They are short of medical supplies, short of doctors, nurses, short of everything,” Mr. Li said.Dr. He heard the same things — when he heard from people at all.