A Wuhan resident holds a sign in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Wednesday, to express gratitude to medical workers who are heading to the airport after completing their tasks of saving novel coronavirus patients in the hard-hit city. LI ZIYUN/FOR CHINA DAILY

In addition to the medical team from Peking Union, 22 other teams had come to aid the branch, with 2,836 medics from other parts of China working with 1,684 local medics. The branch received 1,937 COVID-19 patients in severe condition, and so far 1,611 of them have been discharged, according to Tongji Hospital.

After learning that the team is leaving, many locals came to the street to see them off. Some living in apartments nearby opened up windows and waved national flags to let the medics know Wuhan people will never forget their efforts. As the fleet of buses carried the Beijing medics to the airport, people stopped their cars and honked their horns.

"To see the arrival of medics from all over China was like seeing the light at the end of a dark tunnel for Wuhan people during the tough times, when the number of confirmed cases was climbing and medical resources were overstretched," said Li Yuanyuan, who came to say goodbye to the team.

By the end of Tuesday, of the 3,342 people who died from COVID-19 in China, 2,579 were from Wuhan, according to the National Health Commission.

More than 38,680 medics sent from all over China have worked in Wuhan to reduce the fatality rate. With the outbreak gradually being contained, the teams have been leaving since March. "Their bravery and professionalism saved us all," Li said.