Jilin suspends Tomb Sweeping Day activities

Most memorial activities associated with the Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, have been suspended across Jilin province, because of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, an official said on Friday.

Residents in neighborhoods deemed to have a low risk of exposure to COVID-19, should stagger their visits to cemeteries and funeral homes to minimize the risk of exposure, provincial civil affairs official Zhang Wei added at a news conference on Friday.

Before entering a cemetery in those places, visitors will be required to wear a mask and present their personal health QR codes, itinerary codes and negative nucleic acid test reports obtained within 24 hours.

On Tomb Sweeping Day, Chinese people traditionally pay their respects to their ancestors by visiting graves. It falls on April 5 this year.

"Those who are unable to visit cemeteries and funeral homes can cherish the memory of their forefathers via online platforms," Zhang said.

Jilin province reported 1,363 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 871 asymptomatic carriers on Thursday, the provincial Health Commission said on Friday.

Of the confirmed cases, 1,078 were found in Changchun, 276 in Jilin city, six in Siping and three in Baicheng. Of the asymptomatic carriers, 444 were identified in Changchun, 426 in Jilin city and one in Baishan.

The province has adopted different epidemic prevention and control measures according to conditions in different regions.

"We will continue strict management policies in areas under lockdown," said Zhang Li, deputy director of the commission. "In areas that have no infection cases or are mildly affected, social and economic activities, such as the spring plowing, should be carried out in orderly manner."