 Complete the following phrase:  In December 2019, an epidemic of a new coronavirus disease began in Wuhan. The disease, which became known as coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19, spread and developed into the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The virus contagion had been accelerating abroad in part during massive repatriations from tens of countries attempting to evacuate thousands of foreign nationals who had resided in Wuhan as expatriats. Wuhan and other Hubei cities were placed under 