Crowds have poured into an amusement park in Wuhan to attend a Halloween event less than a year after the Chinese city became infamous as the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
Photos show large numbers of people gathering to watch a parade at the Happy Valley Wuhan amusement park on Thursday night.
Some revellers swapped face masks for spookier options and there was no sign of social distancing as people posed for photos together and queued to see a Halloween show.
As several European countries mull lockdown measures amid a rising second wave of infections, life is gradually returning to normal in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
Revellers posed for a group photo with ghostly pirate performers at the Happy Valley Wuhan theme park on Thursday night
The Halloween event drew large crowds in the city which just ten months ago became infamous around the world as the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic
Some swapped face masks for superhero masks at the event, where large crowds mingled without social distancing measures
France imposed a second national lockdown starting on Friday as the country’s daily deaths from coronavirus reached their highest level since April.
President Emmanuel Macron said that people would only be permitted to leave home for essential work or medical reasons.
Meanwhile China reported only 47 new cases on Thursday, the majority of which reportedly came from abroad.
There have been no new cases of community transmission in Wuhan since May, according to Chinese government figures.
In recent months, domestic tourism has began slowly trickling back into the city, which is home to more than 11 million people.
As several European countries mull lockdown measures amid a rising second wave of infections, life is gradually returning to normal in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Revellers watch a Halloween parade in Wuhan on Thursday night
Aside from the vigilant wearing of face masks, life seemed to have largely returned to normal at the Halloween event in Wuhan
The Happy Valley Wuhan amusement park hosts an annual Halloween event that has hosted daily events well into November in past years
Fearsome floats like the one pictured were a big feature of the Halloween parade at the Happy Valley Wuhan amusement park
Visitors and performers were decked out in their best spooky attire with superheroes, geishas and zombies proving popular costume choices.
Meanwhile a parade of floats included a demonic Chinese dragon and a ghostly pirate ship.
Halloween is not traditionally celebrated as a holiday in China but it has gained popularity in the last two decades as an opportunity to dress up and have fun as China has opened up to Western cultural influence.
The Halloween events at the Happy Valley amusement park included a number of spooky shows, as well as the float parade
Visitors and performers were decked out in their best spooky attire with superheroes, geishas and zombies proving popular costume choices
Halloween is not traditionally celebrated as a holiday in China but it has gained popularity in the last two decades as an opportunity to dress up and have fun
Always a popular costume, nurses were out in force among the crowds in Wuhan on Thursday night, with many young women opting to adapt the look to become a zombie nurse.
The costumes may have a risked causing offence this year after at least 23 Chinese healthcare workers died from coronavirus, according to figures released in June by China’s National Health Commission.
But many seemed pleased to pose for pictures with the ghoulish girls.
Always a popular costume, nurses were out in force among the crowds in Wuhan on Thursday night, with many young women opting to adapt the look to become a zombie nurse
The costumes may have a risked causing offence this year after at least 23 Chinese healthcare workers died from coronavirus, according to figures released in June by China’s National Health Commission but many seemed happy to pose for photos with the ghoulish girls
Visitors and performers posed for photos without social distancing in Wuhan. China appears to have largely tamed Covid-19, with the country announcing only 47 new cases on Thursday, the majority of which it said came from abroad
The event at the Happy Valley Wuhan amusement park, which reopened in May, featured a parade of fearsome floats through the park.
Last year, the Happy Valley chain, which has eight parks around China, held Halloween-themed events every night until from late October until mid November.
The spectacles in 2019 included haunted houses, various performances and a survival horror game. It’s not clear if the same array of events were on offer this year.
Outside of Halloween season, the popular park has rollercoasters, spinning teacups and swing rides, among other attractions.
When the Wuhan site reopened in May, guests were temperature checked on arrival and required to book online in advance as only limited numbers were allowed in but it’s not clear if these measures are still in place.
In previous years, the Happy Valley Wuhan’s amusement park’s Halloween offerings have included haunted houses, various performances and a survival horror game. It’s not clear if the same array of events were on offer this year
Outside of Halloween season, the popular park has rollercoasters, spinning teacups and swing rides, among other attractions. Pictured: A guest sporting a different kind of a face mask at the Halloween celebration
Fearsome floats in the Halloween paraded included a demonic version of the traditional Chinese dragon seen in many of the country’s festivals
The Halloween event was likely a welcome opportunity for Wuhan’s residents to celebrate after a dramatic and gruelling year. Pictured: A Halloween attraction at the Happy Valley Wuhan amusement park
Aside from the vigilant wearing of face masks, Wuhan, along with other Chinese metropolises including Shanghai and Beijing, appears to be returning to normal after Covid-19 first emerged there in late December 2019.
Cinemas are open, restaurants are packed and concerts are going ahead, helping China’s economy to recover from the strains of combating the virus.
Thursday’s scenes are in stark contrast to images of Wuhan’s deserted streets and overcrowded hospitals that filled media reports in the first months of the year as the world scrambled to understand the new virus and its effects.
Wuhan endured a gruelling 76-day lockdown at the height of the pandemic during which the city became a ghost town with tight restrictions on people coming in or out and residents largely barred from leaving their homes.
China continues to restrict travel between certain regions, with some cities requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days.
Foreign visitors are subject to more restrictions and there have also been reports of xenophobia and racism towards foreigners in China amid fears of outsiders importing the disease back into China.
Thursday’s scenes are in stark contrast to images of Wuhan’s deserted streets and overcrowded hospitals that filled media reports in the first months of the year as the world scrambled to understand the new virus and its effects
Visitors queue to attend a Halloween show at the Happy Valley amusement park in Wuhan, China, as part of the site’s spooky seasonal offering
Wuhan residents got creative with their costumes. Halloween has grown in popularity in China as the country has opened up to Western cultural influences