BEIJING — The Chinese courier sector has delivered 365 million parcels in the first five days of the week-long Spring Festival holiday, up by 224 percent over the same period last year, data from the State Post Bureau showed on Feb 16.

On the first two days of the holiday, which started on Feb 11, express delivery firms handled some 130 million parcels, up by 223 percent yearly.

Following the recent resurgence of sporadic COVID-19 cases, the country has encouraged people to stay put over the holiday to reduce the risk of infections during the travel rush.

To make up for the loss of family gatherings, holiday parties, and get-togethers, many have chosen to send gift parcels or make purchases online for their families and friends far away, pushing up logistics demand.