- Title: COVID-19 infections spike in China but mood festive for New Year
- Date: 1st January 2023
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JANUARY 1, 2023) (REUTERS) VISITOR WITH CHILD WALKING BY SHICHAHAI LAKE PARK QR CODE TO BUY TICKETS FOR ICE SKATING VARIOUS OF VISITORS BUYING TICKETS AND WALKING THROUGH DESIGNATED ROUTE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT STUDYING IN COLLEGE, ZHONG, SAYING: "Before I was positive and during that period, I didn’t go out for about two or three weeks. Now, I can go out and it’s good timing for the New Year's Day holiday. I want to go around in Beijing, have a look and feel the atmosphere of the festive mood." VISITORS ENTERING THE ICE RINK AREA VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ENJOYING ICE-CART RIDES (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 26-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT WORKING IN IT INDUSTRY, YANG, SAYING: "The epidemic in the past three years has given us no opportunity to come and play. It brought restrictions on travel and so on. Now after the end of this lockdown we don’t have to scan the health code anymore nor do we have to check the travel code. So we are free now." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON ICE-CART RIDES CHILDREN WATCHING MORE OF PEOPLE ON ICE CARTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 25-YEAR-OLD RESIDENT WORKING IN REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY, JING, SAYING: "I feel I haven't seen so many people in a long time. Now that I’m here, I can feel the atmosphere of the new year and it’s a strong one. And it especially when this is also the last month of the Lunar Year, it feels very much like the Lunar New Year." VARIOUS OF VISITORS WALKING VARIOUS OF VISITORS BUYING LOCAL SNACKS KEBABS VISITOR BUYING KEBABS VISITORS EATING KEBABS RESTAURANT EXTERIOR CROWDS STROLLING IN THE PARK WUHAN, CHINA (JANUARY 1, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUEING AT THE INTERNAL MEDICINE EMERGENCY ROOM IN TONGJI HOSPITAL PATIENTS IN THE TREATMENT ROOM PATIENT BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THE WARD HOSPITAL CORRIDOR QUARANTINE FACILITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR HOSPITAL
- Embargoed: 15th January 2023 10:08
- Keywords: BEIJING CASES CHINA COVID-19 INFECTIONS NEW YEAR RULES RELAXATION TOURISM WUHAN
- Location: BEIJING, WUHAN, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, WUHAN, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001977001012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Beijing residents on Sunday (January 1) braved the cold and spike in COVID-19 infections to enjoy outdoor activities after the government's relaxation of curbs ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of the month.
"The epidemic in the past three years has given us no opportunity to come and play. It brought restrictions on travel and so on. Now after the end of this lockdown we don’t have to scan the health code anymore nor do we have to check the travel code. So we are free now," said Beijing resident, Yang, one of the many enjoying themselves on the frozen lake at Shichahai Lake Park.
Meanwhile, in Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first identified at the end of 2019, COVID-19 infections were spreading fast and queues would be seen at the hospital as people awaited treatment. Workers were also seen setting up a quarantine facility in the city.
China's CDC reported 5,138 official confirmed cases on Saturday (December 31) and one new COVID-19 death on the mainland on Dec. 31, the same as a day earlier. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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