Many places around the world are still deep in their COVID-19 lockdowns or strict social distancing rules but it looks like those in Wuhan, the city in China where the coronavirus was first spotted, are ready to party like it’s 2019. At least that’s what these photos from a music festival over the weekend show.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, partygoers flocked the Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park for an electronic music festival, AFP reported. Packed in a pool, they gathered to watch a DJ while wearing swimsuits but not face masks. Wuhan lifted its 76-day lockdown in April and the park reopened in June as the city slowly opens up.
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One performance even had a guy on a water jet board with sparklers on his back. According to local media reports, the Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park limits parkgoers to 50 percent of its local capacity. But it has also actively enticed people to visit, even offering 50 percent off to women.
COVID-19 was first spotted in Wuhan last year when cases were linked to a wholesale seafood market. But according to official reports, things seem to be looking up. Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, has not reported domestically transmitted cases since mid-May. It had a total of 68,139 COVID-19 cases as of press time.
Netizens don’t exactly agree on how they feel about the massive pool party. Some think it’s great that Wuhan seems to be going back to normal, while others are upset at the lack of social distancing.
Now that it has controlled the outbreak, Hubei is working to boost its economy. While venues will still only welcome up to 50 percent of its capacity, almost 400 tourist spots in the province will be open to domestic tourists for free until the end of the year. Many have established protocols to prevent infection, including mandatory temperature screenings. As of press time, China had a total of 89,441 COVID-19 cases and 4,703 deaths.
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