Coronavirus: parks and tourist attractions reopen as China tries to get back on its feet

Shanghai’s top spots welcome back limited numbers of visitors, while Nanjing government announces US$45.3 million plan to boost consumer spending

Hubei, which reported just four new coronavirus cases on Friday, gets in on the act with a relaxing of travel restrictions for some citizens

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A little girl enjoys an exhibit at the newly reopened Shanghai Natural History Museum. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:54pm, 14 Mar 2020Updated: 11:37pm, 14 Mar 2020

With the worst of the coronavirus outbreak now hopefully behind them, cities across China are trying to get back to normal, with parks and tourist attractions reopening and travel restrictions being loosened even in Hubei, the province worst hit by the epidemic.

The National Health Commission said on Thursday that the outbreak had passed its peak, and the figures appear to support its claim.

On Friday, authorities in mainland China reported just 11 new Covid-19 cases, of which four were in Hubei. The other seven – four in Shanghai, one in Beijing and two in the northwestern province of Gansu – were all imported cases, attributed to visitors from Italy, the United States and Saudi Arabia.

In Shanghai, the government responded to the news by announcing the reopening – on Friday – of most parks and several of its major attractions – including Chenshan Botanical Garden and the city zoo.

However, with the threat of infection and person-to-person transmission still a danger, visitors must have their temperature checked on arrival and wear a face mask for their stay.

Similarly, park authorities were told to control visitor numbers to avoid overcrowding and limit their opening hours.

Shanghai Museum has reopened its doors, but daily visitor numbers have been capped at 2,000. Photo: Xinhua

Several museums in the city have also reopened, with similar terms and conditions. All visitors must make a reservation online, undergo a temperature check on arrival and spend no more than two hours at their chosen venue.