Coronavirus Leads To Increase In Divorce Rates

Divorce rate spikes across China after ‘couples spend too much time together during coronavirus home quarantine’, officials claim

*One office saw over 300 couples applying for divorces in the last three weeks
*Another registry in Xi’an received 14 requests in one day, hitting the upper limit
*Officials claim it’s due to self-isolated couples spending too much time together
*One city has put a daily limit to allow no more than 10 couples to divorce a day
*It comes as China declares the lowest number of new coronavirus cases today
*Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

Divorce rates in China have risen significantly because ‘couples are spending too much time together at home’ during coronavirus self-isolation, according to register offices across the country.

Over 300 couples have scheduled appointments to get a divorce since February 24, said Lu Shijun, the manager of a marriage registry in Dazhou, Sichuan Province of south-western China.

Officials believe the sharp increase of divorce requests could be caused by the fact that partners have spent too much time in close quarters under quarantine.

‘The divorce rate [in the district] has soared compared to before [the coronavirus outbreak],’ Mr Lu told the local press yesterday.

‘Young people are spending a lot of time at home. They tend to get into heated arguments because of something petty and rush into getting a divorce,’ Mr Lu explained.

Another factor could be a result of delayed applications due to the council offices closing for nearly a month during the coronavirus epidemic.

Marriage registration offices in Xi’an of Shaanxi Province in north-western China have also seen an unprecedented rise of divorce appointments since re-opening on March 1, according to reports.