ULAN BATOR, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Mongolians are welcoming the Lunar New Year online due to the government's ban on celebrating the holiday in a bid to prevent a further spread of COVID-19.

Known locally as the White Moon, the Lunar New Year is one of the most important and celebrated holidays for Mongolians.

The White Moon this year falls on Friday, which is a combination of ringing the old year out and the new year in, as well as a celebration when families get together.

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people across Mongolia are celebrating the holiday modestly at their homes and greeting their loved ones online.

Ulan Bator is the epicenter of the country as more than half of over 2,200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were detected there. The city on Thursday re-entered a strict lockdown to prevent COVID-19 infections from getting worse during the Lunar New Year.

During the lockdown, which is expected to last until Feb. 23, residents are prohibited from leaving home except for nearby grocery store and pharmacy visits, for emergency medical care, to purchase fuel, or for a coronavirus test, said the country's State Emergency Commission.

Thousands of civil servants are patrolling the streets of the capital city to enforce the lockdown.

"I am glad that residents of the city are following the lockdown regime, celebrating the White Moon at their homes and greeting their loved ones online to prevent a further spread of COVID-19," said Munkhtsend Bilguun, a police officer, noting that streets across the city are now almost empty.

Public celebration of the Lunar New Year was banned in other parts of Mongolia.

"We prepared plenty of food and drinks at home to welcome the Lunar New Year, keeping our Mongolian traditions. My children living in Ulan Bator spoke over the phone with me to greet," said Tseest Tserenbaltav, an elder resident of the eastern Mongolian province of Sukhbaatar.

As of Friday, Mongolia has confirmed 2,247 COVID-19 cases and four deaths.

The country plans to vaccinate at least 60 percent of its total population of 3.3 million, and the vaccination campaign will begin within the first quarter of this year, according to the government. Enditem

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