Today is a national day of mourning in China to remember those who lost their lives to COVID-19, especially those who sacrificed themselves to save others.

The moment falls on Tomb Sweeping Day, a traditional festival where people in China remember their deceased.

Earlier this morning, people across the nation observed three minutes of remembrance.

Sirens rang out for those who have died from COVID-19.

National flags have been lowered to half-mast. This morning's event marked the first national mourning for a public health incident, and the fourth overall since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Public recreational activities were suspended nationwide.

"The medics were really great. The mourning at this moment is very meaningful. As common people, we should not only remember them, but also cooperate with other medics and all the policies of the country," said a Chinese woman in her 20s.

Three months of the epidemic have taken over 3,000 lives across China. Fourteen people who lost their lives on the frontlines have been honored as martyrs, including 12 medics who were infected while treating patients.

Doctor Li Wenliang is among the honored. He had warned of the virus and cared for patients until he contracted the disease.

Commemorations were also held in the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus.

"Those doctors were really great. They sacrificed themselves to save us all," said a Chinese woman in her 60s.

In China, COVID-19 has proven very difficult to contain, with experts calling it the worst infection in the last 70 years.

The pandemic continues to sweep across the globe, leaving scars on the shared memory of humankind. It warns us that no country can stay isolated in a closely connected world today. International collaboration, unity and consolidated efforts are urgently needed.