HAVANA, March 23 -- Yasmany Quintero, 16, is a typical adolescent eagerly planning his upcoming birthday party in the Vibora Park district of Cuba's capital Havana, where he lives with his mother and grandmother.
But he is about to have a very atypical celebration amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has led authorities to urge people to stay at home and avoid socializing in a bid to contain the spread of the disease.
"Me and my friends will meet at a certain time on social media to enjoy an online karaoke session," instead of going out as originally planned, Quintero told Xinhua by phone.
"This party will be nothing like the ones before," he added.
As public events are canceled or postponed, Cubans with internet access -- which account for more than 50 percent of the country's 11 million inhabitants -- are turning to online platforms to keep in touch or be entertained, according to Cuba's Ministry of Communications.
"We have sold a huge number of prepaid internet cards so far in March," said Yalile Rivero, a sales clerk for Cuba's state telecommunications company in Havana.
"Many people living in densely populated areas are avoiding physical contact," she added.
Cubans can even supply their online parties with live music, as local musicians have joined a global initiative to live stream performances for the benefit of people around the world sheltering in place.
Cuban salsa musician Alexander Abreu is among them.
【国际英语资讯:Feature: Partying moves online in Cuba amid COVID-19 outbreak】相关文章:
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