BEIJING: Several Chinese cities have gone on high Covid-19 alert as the Lunar New Year holiday travel season starts, requiring travellers to report their trips days before their arrival, as the Omicron variant reaches more areas including Beijing.

Authorities have warned the highly contagious Omicron adds to the increased risk of Covid-19 transmission as hundreds of millions of people travel around China for the Lunar New Year holiday starting at the end of the month.

Many local governments have already advised residents not to leave town unnecessarily on trips during the holiday, while dozens of international and domestic flights have been suspended.