Dallas man living in Beijing describes his family's life in quarantine during coronavirus outbreak

DALLAS - Health officials say the number of new cases of the coronavirus in China has dropped for a second day.

It's raising hopes that the epidemic may be starting to plateau.

The coronavirus has infected more than 45,000 people worldwide and killed more than 1,100.

A Dallas man, who is living in Beijing with his family, remains under quarantine.

Like most people living in China, Thomas Pauken is forced to take life day by day.

He and his family are pretty much confined to their immediate neighborhood.

The streets are empty and no one leaves their house without a face mask on.

For Americans living in China, the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically altered their way of life.

“We know we're here 24/7. We're pretty good. We stay calm,” said Pauken, a Dallas native who now lives in Beijing with his wife and young son.

Even though the outbreak epicenter is more than 700 miles away, Pauken -- a writer and researcher -- has been forced to work from home.

“The fact of the matter is life is not fun under the quarantine, and quarantine measures are very strict. You just can't leave the city. I can't even work at my office,” Pauken explained.

He recorded a video diary for FOX 4 News that gives people a glimpse into his "new normal."

“Some stores are open, some stores are not, so it's interesting to see what we find here,” he said.

Pauken said most shops and restaurants around his home have been closed for weeks.

A few grocery stores remain open, for now.

“Many empty shelves. Flour, some noodles,” he said.

Pauken said that, thankfully, fruits and vegetables are in abundance.

But even a short walk to the market is a tedious task.

“There are many security guards here and everyone must go through their temperature checks in order to come back, and as I said, if they have high fever, they will be reported. They will not be allowed unless they have good temperature,” Pauken explained.

China is struggling to restart its economy after the annual Lunar New Year holiday was extended to try to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected 45,000 people worldwide. China's president is promising tax cuts and other aid to industry.

Pauken, who has lived in Beijing for 10 years, is confident the country will bounce back.

For now, he's doing his part to keep his family healthy and safe.

“My family has been very helpful we've stuck together,” he said. “What I anticipate is it's going to go on for another few weeks and we'll get through it.”

Pauken said the office of the foreign minister has been good about keeping ex-pats informed of the coronavirus by handing out health information in a variety of languages. He said the situation is tense but the nation is united.