Shanghai Disneyland has been closed as a preventive measure against COVID-19, and visitors have been held in the park for virus screening.
BEIJING – Shanghai Disneyland was not only closed but also visitors were momentarily held in the park for virus screening, according to the city government, whereas social media posts said several amusements remained operational for guests who were unable to leave.
The park was closed Monday for employees as well as visitor screening, according to the Walt Disney Company and the city government. There was no mention of a potential outbreak.
“All visitors have exited the park” as a result of “expedited COVID testing,” Disney said in a statement on Tuesday. It was unclear when the park would reopen.
Whereas other countries relax anti-virus policies, China has maintained a strict “Zero COVID” policy with the goal to detach every case. In March, outbreaks in Shanghai resulted in a closure that confined the majority of the city’s 25 million residents home for 2 months.
On Friday, 1.3 m inhabitants of Shanghai’s downtown Yangpu district were told to remain at home while virus tests were carried out.
The city government urged those who had visited the Shanghai Disney Resort since Thursday to submit to 3 days of nucleic acid screening and also to avoid amassing in large groups.
Disney stated in a press briefing on Monday that parts of the resort were shut due to anti-virus restrictions, but there was no indication that visitors were held inside. According to the report, Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown, as well as Wishing Star Park were all shut, but two hotels remained open.
As per social media posts, a few rides as well as other amusements remained open Monday while guests were examined.
A video posted on the renowned Sina Weibo platform has shown an employee in a mask telling visitors to “please return as well as take a tour in the park.”
The park’s entrances are all temporarily closed, so you are unable to leave.”
Some other video posted on Sina Weibo had shown technicians in white protective gear taking throat swabs from visitors after dark while police stood nearby and a fireworks display illuminated the sky behind them.
The account user described it as “the most magnificent nucleic acid detection point.”
“Zero COVID” has kept rates of infection in China relatively low, but at a high financial cost as businesses face challenges with frequent closures.
Following outbreaks as well as complaints about unsafe workplace conditions, thousands of staff who assemble Apple Inc.’s new iPhone 14 decided to walk away from a production plant operated by Taiwan’s Foxconn in the central city of Zhengzhou.
Foxconn stated that it has executed “closed loop management,” the official term for staff who live on-site and have no outside contact.
