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Some 31,927 catering companies in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province reopen, accounting for 83.9 percent of the total. [Photo/cnjxol.com]

More than 80 percent of catering companies in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, had resumed operations as of March 10, local media reported.

When asked about popular gathering places of restaurants in the city, locals would mention Youyi street and Haiyantang road.

Youyi street is renowned for its numerous restaurants which are often promoted by online influencers. Prosperity resumed in the area when many of the catering stores reopened after suspending business due to the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.

More than 30 breakfast stores on Haiyantang road have also resumed operations and welcome an endless stream of customers each morning. Yang Yuanzhong, an owner of a dumpling store on the road, said that his business is gradually picking up, with 80 percent of customers asking for a takeout.

In order to help local catering companies reopen amid the epidemic, Jiaxing released a series of documents on Feb 28.

The documents state that catering companies should thoroughly disinfect all of their facilities every day, encourage individual dining, and require that customers hold a green QR code, meaning they have a small chance of being infected with the novel coronavirus. Temperatures should also be taken before entering any restaurant.

Restaurants on eight local streets were allowed to resume operations first, followed by the remainder of the restaurants in Jiaxing.

As of March 10, 31,927 catering companies in the city had reopened, accounting for 83.9 percent of the total. Nanhu district (89.2 percent), Haiyan county (88.6 percent), and Pinghu county (88.4 percent) made up the top three among Jiaxing's seven districts and counties in terms of resumption rate.