BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 13.4 million people in China used online platforms to mourn the deceased on Saturday, the Tomb-sweeping Day, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Sunday.

People set up commemorative space and wrote messages online instead of visiting tombs amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry said.

A total of 7,729 funeral facilities opened to the public for on-site mourning on Saturday, receiving about 5.7 million visitors.

Over 8,500 charitable mourning ceremonies were held on behalf of groups who were not present and 220,000 ceremonies held for individuals in the same situation, the ministry said. People can watch the ceremonies live online or via mobile phones.

The ministry reminded the public to protect themselves against the coronavirus and avoid traffic peak. It also warned against the use of fire in the wild in regions prone to forest fires.

Tomb-sweeping Day is also known as Qingming Festival. During the period leading to and after the day, people pay tribute to the deceased and worship their ancestors by visiting tombs and making offerings.