While India, among other countries, struggles to fight the deadly coronavirus, China, the epicentre of the pandemic is reportedly getting back to normal. Restrictions are being lifted, airports have started operating and several tourist attractions have also opened their gates for the public, reported Forbes.
And since people could finally get out of their homes after nearly two months of quarantine, the Huangshan Mountain in East China’s Anhui Province was flooded with visitors over the weekend, reported CNN.
The nature trail site exceeded the daily number limit of 20,000 visitors after it exempted the entrance fee. Hence, the unexpected surge of tourists forced the Chinese authorities to shut down the trail until further notice.
Talking to local media houses, the authorities requested citizens to remain vigilant as the virus hasn’t been completely eradicated.
Several visuals on social media sites showed people flouting the social distancing norms that are sought to be key to avoid the spread of the virus. Some were also seen without masks.
#Huangshan Mountain, a 5-A tourist attraction in East #China's Anhui Province, closed to tourists on Sunday morning due to an overflow of tourists after it exempted its 190 yuan ($26.7) entrance fee to residents of the province to promote tourism amid #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/DAffe2zhI1
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 5, 2020
Many other public places like the Bund Waterfront in Shanghai, several other parks, cafes and restaurants in the capital Beijing also saw a huge footfall. The alarming number of people hitting the streets has alerted the authorities who are now requesting people to look for ways to avoid over-crowding in public places. Experts have also warned of another possible wave of coronavirus transmission and have called for strict regulation at such areas.
Do not gather! Huangshan Mountain, a famous tourist spot in E China's Anhui, was forced to close within one hour on Sun morning when visitor number exceeded the 20,000 cap. The mountain reopened to public in late Feb after a month-long shutdown due to #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/RhKcH9bTW9
— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) April 5, 2020
Here’s what people online thought about this:
Let them isolate themselves on the mountain for 14 days and then go down. See if they will gather together later.
— Corrine✨ (@Qpigpig1) April 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/DomsDen1/status/1246778607625809920
These people will not learn
— Stay@home&Besafe😷 (@bighenyx) April 5, 2020
Best recipe for wave 3 of infection
— Mun Hon (@munhon71) April 5, 2020
Virus feast
— Follower (@Follower101010) April 5, 2020
What are they doing? Are they crazy? Why this place opened? Close it PLEASE ! Cherish the current situation and make it longer, DON’t trouble the doctors while they need to time to recover pic.twitter.com/gbmqgn2Dga
— Joe Zhao (@Stone_20101980) April 5, 2020
This seems like a terrible idea with everything that is still happening
— Keisha Boutilier (@loving_littles) April 6, 2020
Well, although things are beginning to turn normal in China, it’s too early to celebrate in such numbers. However, if the current situation in India is making you anxious and worried, then remember that all we must do is maintain social distancing and lockdown protocol to overcome this pandemic. Have patience and take care, guys!