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WUHAN: Thousands of New Year’s revelers packed the center of Wuhan, the Chinese city where COVID-19 was first detected, cheering and launching balloons to welcome in 2021.
The police erected fences to try to avoid congestion around the clock tower of the city’s Customs, but the measure was ineffective due to the large participation of mainly young people.
“2020 has been a very difficult year for us because we have lived through the epidemic, especially in Wuhan, which is an unforgettable experience for us,” local resident Xu Du told AFP.
Most of the crowd wore masks for Thursday night (December 31) celebrations, which included a light show.
READ: The world ushers in the New Year in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic
Wuhan was under a strict lockdown for more than two months since the end of January, but has returned to normal life since the summer. Schools fully reopened in September.
“China has controlled the epidemic very well now,” said reveler Li Yusu. “But there are still other countries suffering from the virus. I hope that other countries can overcome this difficulty as soon as possible.”
People dance along the banks of the Yangtze River on New Year’s Eve in Wuhan, Hubei province. (Photo: AFP / NOEL CELIS)
China has faced widespread criticism for its initial handling of the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, in the central Hubei province, in December 2019.
The country has been accused of covering up the outbreak and allowing the virus to spread internationally.
READ: Heavy snowfall and COVID-19 enshrined New Years celebrations in Japan
Beijing has also recently tried to cast doubt on whether COVID-19 originated in Wuhan.
On Monday, citizen journalist Zhang Zhan was jailed for four years for reporting on conditions inside Wuhan during the height of the outbreak.
The city of 11 million people was forced into a harsh blockade from January to April and about 4,000 people died, according to Chinese figures.
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