Two major tourist attractions in China have been shut down as officials work to stop thespread of the mysterious coronavirus.
Ina statementon Friday, Shanghai Disneyland announced that it would be temporarily closing “in response to the prevention and control of the disease outbreak” and “in order to ensure the health and safety of our guests and cast.”
The park will close starting on Saturday, and officials “will continue to carefully monitor the situation and be in close contact with the local government” before announcing the reopening date.
Meanwhile, parts of the Great Wall of China near Beijing will be closed indefinitely to visitors also beginning on Saturday, according toReuters.
In addition to these great tourist landmarks, the coronavirus outbreak has affected other public spaces in China. According toCNN, McDonald’s closed down restaurants in five cities in China temporarily starting on Friday. Many cities — including Wuhan, which is believed to be theorigin of the coronavirus— have also been placed under indefinite emergency travel restrictions, the outlet reported.
Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.Marcio Machado/Getty Images
Celebrations for the upcoming Lunar New Year, the country’s biggest holiday, have evenbeen cancelled in some cities. Typically, Chinese citizens travel throughout the country to celebrate, which amounts to the largest mass migration in the world.
In Beijing, officials are canceling the usual fireworks displays and fairs for the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, as it’s known in China. They are also closing the Forbidden City, the palace complex and top tourist attraction, until further notice.
Guang Niu/Getty Images
“In order to comply with epidemic prevention and control works, and to put people’s lives, safety, and health in the first place, mass gatherings should be reduced in order to ensure a harmonious and peaceful Spring Festival,” the Beijing Culture and Tourism Bureau said in a statement. “It is decided that Beijing will cancel all large-scale events, including temple fairs, effective from today.”
As of Friday, Chinese health officials report that 26 people have died from the coronavirus, while 830 people have been infected, according toThe New York Times.
While the virus started in Wuhan, it has since spread around China and into Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States, which announced on Tuesday that the country’s first case was identified in a man in Washington state.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control said that the risk to Americans is “low.” However, they have implemented“enhanced health screenings”at five major airports in San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta.
source: people.com
