YANGON: Myanmar closed off public gardens, parks and a lake in its biggest city Yangon on Monday (Dec 21), hoping to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases during year-end holidays.

City officials trying to protect recent gains in containing COVID-19 infections put up barricades, signs and cordons around the Mahabandula park and along the banks of the Inya lake, among other popular sites known for drawing holiday crowds.