Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai, China on June 30, 2022. A Disney resort in Shanghai abruptly closed Monday to comply with Covid-19 precautions, and all visitors at the time of the announcement were instructed to stay in the park until they have tested negative for the virus.
VCG | Visual China Group | Getty Images
A Disney resort in Shanghai abruptly closed Monday to comply with Covid-19 precautions, and all visitors at the time of the announcement were instructed to stay in the park until they have tested negative for the virus.
At 11:39 AM local time (03:39 GMT), the resort announced the immediate closure of surrounding areas, including the main theme park and shopping streets, until further notice to comply with virus containment.
The Shanghai government said on its official WeChat account that the park has banned people from entering and exiting, and that all visitors within the site must wait for the results of inspections before leaving.
Anyone who has visited the park after Oct. 27 will have to be tested for Covid-19 three times in three days, it said.
The theme park continued to operate rides for visitors stranded at the park during Monday’s closure, social media users reported.
A spokesperson for Shanghai Disney Resort said the resort is still operating “limited services” and is following measures in line with guidelines from China’s health authorities.
The resort said Saturday it had opened with reduced staffing to comply with Covid measures.
Shanghai reported 10 localized cases on 30 October, all of which it said were asymptomatic people.
The closures mark the latest disruption at Shanghai Disney Resort, which was closed for more than three months during Shanghai’s lockdown earlier this year.
Last November, more than 30,000 visitors were stranded and the park was closed for two days after authorities ordered everyone to be tested in a contact tracing exercise.
A video circulating on China’s Weibo platform on Monday showed people rushing to the gates of the park, which were already locked.
Reuters could not confirm the video’s authenticity, and Shanghai Disney Resort was asked how many visitors were inside.
In line with the country’s ultra-strict zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19, local authorities across China continue to impose sudden and extreme measures to cut the chances of viral transmission once cases emerge.
The Universal Resort in Beijing’s capital reopened on Monday after five days of closure. This was also facilitated by the antivirus.
