Wuhan restarts: A search data upswing

Wuhan, a city in lockdown for 76 days due to the novel coronavirus epidemic, welcomed the end of travel restrictions on Wednesday.

According to a report from Baidu, searches about certificates to allow work resumption surged 320 percent in the last 30 days, indicating some enterprises and commercial tenants are restarting operations.

Transportation searches jumped 115 percent in the period. Electric bicycles are popular among netizens in Wuhan, with search volume on the vehicle growing 65 percent, likely because it is an open-air travel method that limits contact with other people.

In order to reduce contact with others on the way to work, search volume about car sharing rose 121 percent during the period.

As the epidemic has been brought under control and people are allowed to leave home, search volume about "dressing up and makeup" rose 60 percent, and weather search volume increased 23 percent.

Search volume about scenic spots in Wuhan and Hubei province went up 120 and 30 percent respectively during the period.

Moreover, the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport resumed flights on April 8.

According to China Eastern Airlines' plan, inbound and outbound flights to 17 domestic cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Kunming, Sanya, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Xi'an, Taiyuan, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, Zunyi, Xining, Qingdao and Liuzhou will recover from April 8 to May 2.

At present, 25 airline companies have launched online sales for the next 30 days on 61 routes, according to news outlet Yicai, which cited online air ticket seller qunar.com.