Across China, ceremonies on this annual Tomb Sweeping Day, or Qingming Festival are taking place differently than in the past. In Wuhan, which fought China's fiercest battle against COVID-19, this year's events were extra solemn and special.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, a memorial ceremony dedicated to those who succumbed to the coronavirus at the epicenter of China's outbreak, was held at the bank of the Yangtze River, a mother river to the people of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.

Among the attendees are family members of the deceased, including relatives of martyrs who died fighting the epidemic at their posts; there were also delegates of medical professionals, police officers, community workers, volunteers as well as government officials.

In front of a row of wreaths, people paid silent tribute for three minutes, while air raid sirens and the horns of automobiles, trains and ships were heard across the city.

"I really feel very bad, because many of those who sacrificed their lives during the outbreak were still quite young. I'm here to pay my respects and offer a silent tribute," a doctor present at the ceremony wept while talking to CGTN.

In Wuhan, the death toll reached 2,567 as of April 3, according to officials.

But because of the contagious nature of the coronavirus and prevention measures taken, people have not been able to say a final goodbye to loved ones or to observe traditional funeral rituals.

Today on Qingming Festival, however, the emotional backlog of months of stress and grief are finally allowed to come to the fore, as many cried throughout the three minutes.

And while mourning the dead, different groups have also expressed their determination to carry on the fight.

"I think it is more about inheriting their unfinished will, to work harder and fulfill our duties in guarding and caring for the residents," said Tian Lin, who's been working on the community front line since the beginning of the epidemic.

Li Gang, a doctor from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing, too, said while the ceremony provides a chance for them to come together and grieve, their work continues in the ICU units, where some in critical condition are still being treated.

On Saturday, Ying Yong, secretary of the Hubei Provincial CPC Committee and Wang Zhonglin, secretary of the Wuhan Municipal CPC Committee, extended deep condolences to the victims and visited and expressed deep sympathy to their families including Li Wenliang, Liu Zhiming and Wu Yong. 

(Cover: People are paying silent tribute at a memorial event to honor martyrs in the fight against COVID-19 and victims, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, April 4, 2020. Chen Weikui/CGTN)