Thousands of revelers filled a water park this weekend in the central city of Wuhan in central China, where the coronavirus first gave the impression of the vanquished last year, eager for the party as the city resumes its general life.
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The popular Wuhan Maya Beach water park is packed with others frolicking in swimsuits and goggles for an electronic music festival, many perched on rubber boats or waving in the water.
The water park reopened in June after Wuhan gradually opened after a 76-day lock and strict restrictions to verify the spread of the virus.
A photo shows other people watching a screen as they cool down in a pool in Wuhan, China. (AFP)
The park, which, according to local media, has limited attendance to 50% of its capacity, offers half-price discounts to female visitors.
An artist in a level display on the water’s edge greeted the crowd, clenched and waved his arms back, some photos taken with phones in a plastic wallet around his neck.
Another artist in a jet of water entertained his body flying over them with sparks in his back.
Part of the crowd had worn life jackets, but none of the tight revelers were dressed in a face mask while a DJ dressed in bright yellow headphones played on stage.
The first known instances of COVID-19 gave the impression in Wuhan to expire last year, a city of 11 million people, before the virus spread around the world, killing thousands of people and crippling economies.
The lockdown was lifted in April, and there have been no new domestically transmitted cases officially reported in Hubei province, where Wuhan is the capital, since mid-May.
To try and boost the local economy, the Hubei government has been offering free entry to 400 tourist sites across the province.
China has largely controlled its domestic epidemic, but sporadic outbreaks and a summer of severe flooding have exacerbated economic consequences.
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