Chinese e-commerce platform JD has provided a touching testament to the progressive recovery of Wuhan, the first city to be hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

A photo gallery released by the company features images of the activity of JD’s courier staff at work, juxtaposed with life during the 76-day lockdown.

Moving scenes of couriers about their daily work on crowded streets – which until recently were deserted as local residents stayed trapped in their homes in fear of the virus – poignantly attest to the simple dignity of human resilience, offering a beacon of hope in a world still in the clutches of the pandemic.

Photos taken on April 8, as the city emerged from the lockdown, show couriers dressed in minimal protective gear, in contrast to others taken during the peak of the pandemic when couriers were wearing full-body isolation suits.

The gallery conveys a tentative message of confidence – that everything is alright in Wuhan – reminding worldwide observers that these worst days of the pandemic will inevitably pass.

The series of images have been released against the backdrop of JD’s announcement of an investment of more than RMB6 billion (US$850 million) in Hubei province over the next three years, of which Wuhan is the provincial capital.

The funds will be used to support initiatives to assist in the recovery of Hubei’s economy and the development of local industry.