Coronavirus: China observes a national day of mourning for victims of Covid-19 People across the country pay their respects to those they lost with three minutes of silence at 10am China has reported 81,639 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 3,326 deaths

4 April, 2020 | Filed under: All News,more news,Opinion,RECENT POSTS,Somali news | Posted by: Abdillahi

Large crowds gathered in Wuhan to pay their respects to those who lost their loves to Covid-19. Photo: CCTV

Chinese President Xi Jinping led the country on Saturday in observing a national day of mourning for those who lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic.

Clad in black, Xi paid his respects to victims of the outbreak with three minutes of silence starting at 10am. As people stood in silence, the sound of air sirens blasted across the country along with horns from cars, trains, and ships.

The sombre event coincided with the annual Ching Ming, or tomb-sweeping, festival, when people pay their respects to their ancestors and lost loved ones.

Wuhan residents shop across tall barriers as the city lifts restrictions

Beijing announced on Friday that the day of mourning would be for the “martyrs” and “compatriots” who had died during the pandemic, as the country has sought to slowly relax travel restrictions and resume work.

While families customarily gather together for Ching Ming, the government this year urged that control measures be taken to avoid further spread of the virus.

Those steps include suspending the holding of remembrance services in high-risk areas, limiting the number of people in gatherings and encouraging the use of online funeral services.

Since the pneumonia-like Covid-19 first spread from Wuhan in central China at the end of last year, the country has officially reported 81,639 confirmed cases and 3,326 deaths. Nearly 3,400 medical workers were reported to have been infected, with more than a dozen deaths.

Flags across the country and at overseas embassies were flown at half-mast, and all public entertainment was suspended for the day.

Beijing said on Friday the day of mourning would be for the “martyrs” and “compatriots” who died during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: CCTV

National days of mourning are uncommon in China, but recent events include memorials for the 69,181 people who died in the Sichuan earthquake of May 2008, the Yushu quake in April 2010 and the Gansu landslides in August 2010.

Despite initial missteps in containing the Covid-19 outbreak, Beijing has sought to portray its subsequent response efforts against the epidemic as a “people’s war”, praising frontline medical workers as “angels in white”.

Last month, Xi travelled to Wuhan, the epicentre of the initial outbreak, where he proclaimed success in “turning the tide” on the ground.

A Wuhan resident lays a floral tribute to Li Wenliang who died in February. Photo: EPA-EFE

But the epidemic’s human toll has seen a national

outpouring of grief and anger, particularly after the death
of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang

, who was detained by local authorities after warning online in late December of a new viral infection he compared to Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

Li, 34, was reprimanded for “spreading rumours online”, but then later contracted the virus himself and died in February, prompting online calls for official accountability and freedom of speech. Li became the face of the pandemic as it spread around the world.

A government investigation report released over a month later blamed Wuhan police for their handling of the case, and criticised “hostile forces” for seeking to smear the ruling Communist Party, including by “instigating public emotions” through Li’s case.

The Hubei provincial government said on Thursday it would declare 14 people who died fighting Covid-19 as “martyrs” – the highest honorary title from the Communist Party – including 12 frontline medical workers, one of whom was Li.

Source:scmp.com/news

Kasmaal Independent Somali news and analysis website .

Coronavirus: China observes a national day of mourning for victims of Covid-19 People across the country pay their respects to those they lost with three minutes of silence at 10am China has reported 81,639 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 3,326 deaths

Large crowds gathered in Wuhan to pay their respects to those who lost their loves to Covid-19. Photo: CCTV

Chinese President Xi Jinping led the country on Saturday in observing a national day of mourning for those who lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic.

Clad in black, Xi paid his respects to victims of the outbreak with three minutes of silence starting at 10am. As people stood in silence, the sound of air sirens blasted across the country along with horns from cars, trains, and ships.

The sombre event coincided with the annual Ching Ming, or tomb-sweeping, festival, when people pay their respects to their ancestors and lost loved ones.

Wuhan residents shop across tall barriers as the city lifts restrictions

Beijing announced on Friday that the day of mourning would be for the “martyrs” and “compatriots” who had died during the pandemic, as the country has sought to slowly relax travel restrictions and resume work.

While families customarily gather together for Ching Ming, the government this year urged that control measures be taken to avoid further spread of the virus.

Those steps include suspending the holding of remembrance services in high-risk areas, limiting the number of people in gatherings and encouraging the use of online funeral services.

Since the pneumonia-like Covid-19 first spread from Wuhan in central China at the end of last year, the country has officially reported 81,639 confirmed cases and 3,326 deaths. Nearly 3,400 medical workers were reported to have been infected, with more than a dozen deaths.

Flags across the country and at overseas embassies were flown at half-mast, and all public entertainment was suspended for the day.

Beijing said on Friday the day of mourning would be for the “martyrs” and “compatriots” who died during the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: CCTV

National days of mourning are uncommon in China, but recent events include memorials for the 69,181 people who died in the Sichuan earthquake of May 2008, the Yushu quake in April 2010 and the Gansu landslides in August 2010.

Despite initial missteps in containing the Covid-19 outbreak, Beijing has sought to portray its subsequent response efforts against the epidemic as a “people’s war”, praising frontline medical workers as “angels in white”.

Last month, Xi travelled to Wuhan, the epicentre of the initial outbreak, where he proclaimed success in “turning the tide” on the ground.

A Wuhan resident lays a floral tribute to Li Wenliang who died in February. Photo: EPA-EFE

But the epidemic’s human toll has seen a national

outpouring of grief and anger, particularly after the death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang

, who was detained by local authorities after warning online in late December of a new viral infection he compared to Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

Li, 34, was reprimanded for “spreading rumours online”, but then later contracted the virus himself and died in February, prompting online calls for official accountability and freedom of speech. Li became the face of the pandemic as it spread around the world.

A government investigation report released over a month later blamed Wuhan police for their handling of the case, and criticised “hostile forces” for seeking to smear the ruling Communist Party, including by “instigating public emotions” through Li’s case.

The Hubei provincial government said on Thursday it would declare 14 people who died fighting Covid-19 as “martyrs” – the highest honorary title from the Communist Party – including 12 frontline medical workers, one of whom was Li.

Source:scmp.com/news

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outpouring of grief and anger, particularly after the death
of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang