Shanghai returning to normalcy as epidemic wanes

People visit a park in Xujiahui area of Shanghai, east China, June 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

SHANGHAI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- As the Shanghai Customs House clock struck midnight on the Bund, the traffic linking the two sides of the Huangpu River had been fully restored, the barricades at some scenic spots had been removed and private cars appeared again on main roads.

As of Wednesday, June 1, Shanghai has largely returned to normal production and life after two months of closed-off management to contain the COVID-19 resurgence.

The Shanghai municipal government sent an online letter on Wednesday morning thanking its 25 million residents for their support and efforts. The letter said that after more than two months of continuous fighting, the arduous battle to defend the city has achieved major results, and Shanghai had entered the stage of resuming normal production and life.

More than 600,000 cases have been reported in this recent wave of COVID-19. The majority of the patients have now been discharged from hospital, and on Tuesday, the largest makeshift hospital for COVID-19 patients in Shanghai was closed down.

"On such a special Children's Day, I see more hope and believe that I, my family and the city can recover gradually," said Xiao Jing, who was discharged from hospital on Wednesday, along with her mother.

On the same day, most taxis and car-hailing services in Shanghai resumed normal operations. All 20 subway lines in the city resumed partial operations, and the three railway stations reopened their inter-provincial services.

Travelers line up at the waiting area of Shanghai South Railway Station in east China's Shanghai, June 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

By noon, downtown areas of Shanghai were seeing larger numbers of people moving around, as more shopping malls, stores and cafes opened up.

A total of 32 A-level tourist attractions, including the landmark Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower, opened to the public on Wednesday. With time, more scenic spots in the city will reopen to welcome tourists.

People sit on a viewing platform at the Bund area in east China's Shanghai, June 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

The municipal government said recently that it will do its utmost to help enterprises overcome their difficulties, resume production and operations as soon as possible, and bring the economy and society back on track as soon as possible.

The Shanghai customs confirmed that the container ship "Merete Maersk" set sail for north China's Tianjin Port as planned.

Data shows that the cargo volume and foreign trade at ports in Shanghai have gradually recovered and stabilized since late April.

The city reported five confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 10 local asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, the municipal health commission said Wednesday.

As of Tuesday, the number of new confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Shanghai has dropped to double digits for three consecutive days. Residents have shown confidence in both epidemic prevention and control efforts, and the resumption of work.