The timing and location of the outbreak facilitated the rapid transmission of the virus within a highly mobile population. The initial reporting of observed cases occurred during the traditional Chinese New Year, when the largest population movement takes place every year (Ai et al., 2020). Further, Wuhan is a highly populated city with more than 11 million residents and is connected to many cities in China through public transportation, such as buses, trains, and flights (Lai et al., 2020; Read, Bridgen, Cummings, Ho, & Jewell, 2020). In the absence of pharmaceutical interventions, rapid action was required by the Chinese government to mitigate transmission within and outside of Wuhan.