Excitement in Wuhan as businesses and shopping malls reopen

Staff outside Wuhan International Plaza, one of the city's largest malls, held signs on Monday (March 30) telling shoppers to wear masks and maintain a safe distance from each other.

The city is setting about reclaiming a more normal life after a lockdown for almost two months.

But as businesses reopen, some are cautious.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) HEALTH PRODUCTS SHOP WORKER, GAO WEN, SAYING:

"I am still a bit worried. The full ban will be lifted on April 8th. After April 8, there will be more crowds. Some customers' mindsets may still be a little scared."

The city of Wuhan, at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak, reported no new cases for a sixth day on Monday.

For many in the Plaza, which is home to luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Cartier, its reopening was an exciting occasion.

(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 29-YEAR-OLD, ZHANG YU, SAYING:

"Wuhan has been shutdown for a long time. The Wuhan International Plaza's reopening really makes me feel that this city is coming back to life. And everyone has stayed at home for a long time. We need to do some things to revive ourselves. That's how I feel."

Policymakers are now turning their efforts to healing the world's second-largest economy.

The government is pushing businesses and factories to reopen, as it rolls out fiscal and monetary stimulus to spur the recovery.

But as the pandemic spreads around the world China's exports and imports could worsen, stoking fears of a seemingly inevitable global recession.