Sharjah24 - AFP: The number of journeys during the Lunar New Year vacation inside China increased by 74% from the previous year after authorities lifted COVID-19 travel restrictions, official media said on Saturday. However, the number of journeys was still only half of levels before the pandemic.

According to official data, the number of COVID deaths a showed weekly decline, however.

Between Jan. 20-26, a week that overlapped with six days of the holiday period, China registered 6,364 COVID-linked deaths, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday, compared to 12,658 a week earlier.

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year in China, when huge numbers of people working in prosperous coastal cities head to their hometowns and villages for family reunions.

This year's celebration is the first in three years without any form of lockdown curbs. China abandoned its strict "zero COVID" policy in early December after protests against the restrictions, allowing people to travel and the virus to spread rapidly throughout the country.