People across China rang in the Lunar New Year on Sunday with large family gatherings and crowds visiting temples after the government lifted its strict “zero-COVID” policy, marking the biggest festive celebration since the pandemic began three years ago.
The Lunar New Year is the most important annual holiday in China. Each year is named after one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac in a repeating cycle, with this year being the Year of the Rabbit. For the past three years, celebrations were muted in the shadow of the pandemic.
Nearly 53,000 offered prayers at Beijing's Lama Temple but the crowds appeared to be smaller compared to pre-pandemic days. The Tibetan Buddhist site allows up to 60,000 visitors a day, citing safety reasons, and requires an advance reservation. The mass movement of people may cause the virus to spread in certain areas, said Wu Zunyou, the chief epidemiologist at China’s Center for Disease Control. But a large-scale COVID-19 surge will be unlikely in the next two or three months because about 80% of the country's 1.4 billion people have been infected during the recent wave, he wrote on the social media platform Weibo on Saturday.
In Hong Kong, revelers flocked to the city’s largest Taoist temple, Wong Tai Sin, to burn the first incense sticks of the year. The popular ritual was suspended the last two years due to the pandemic.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China rings in Year of Rabbit with most COVID rules liftedPeople across China rang in the Lunar New Year on Sunday with large family gatherings and crowds visiting temples after the government lifted its strict 'zero-COVID' policy, marking the biggest festive celebration since the pandemic began three years ago.
Read more »
China rings in Year of Rabbit with most COVID rules liftedBEIJING (AP) — People across China rang in the Lunar New Year on Sunday with large family gatherings and crowds visiting temples after the government lifted…
Read more »
China rings in Lunar New Year with most COVID-19 rules liftedPeople across China rang in the Lunar New Year on Sunday with large family gatherings and crowds visiting temples after the government lifted its strict ‘zero-COVID’ policy
Read more »
Bali welcomes back 1st flight from China as COVID rules easeA direct flight from China landed in Indonesia's resort island of Bali for the first time in nearly three years on Sunday after the route was suspended due to the pandemic.
Read more »