Crowds surge to malls in Manila after lockdown eased

Crowds and traffic returned to shopping malls Monday in the Philippine capital after a two-monthlong lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus was partially relaxed over the weekend, prompting police to warn of arrests and mall closures.

Shoppers in Manila were seen waiting outside the malls in from of signs calling for social distancing while cleaners in protective suits scrubbed ATM machines. Customers were screened for fevers before entering shopping centers.

The economy contracted in the first quarter and more than two million people have lost their jobs or faced pay cuts due to lockdowns.

One shopper said she was having second thoughts about going to the mall, but wanted to support the struggling economy.

The Philippines is one of the hardest hit Southeast Asian countries by COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, with over 12,500 infections and 824 deaths.

Only metropolitan Manila and two other high-risk areas remain under a strict lockdown, but manufacturing plants were allowed to reopen with half of their workforce from Saturday to May 31.

Essential businesses have reopened but fitness gyms, barber shops, movie houses and other recreational places remain closed.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.