Temporary Closure of Zhangjiajie Due to COVID-19 Spread in China Affecting 'Avatar' Filming

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Amid the alarming spread of COVID-19 in China, the famous tourist destination Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province, where numerous related cases have been reported, has temporarily suspended its operations.

The Zhangjiajie city government decided to close all city-owned tourist sites starting from the 30th to prevent the spread of the disease, according to Chinese media reports yesterday.

As of the previous day, Zhangjiajie, which was also the setting for the movie "Avatar," was hosting 754 tour groups with about 11,000 tourists. Authorities instructed them to promptly undergo nucleic acid testing and decide whether to leave the city based on the results.

Zhangjiajie implemented lockdown-style management by residential areas and ordered residents to refrain from unnecessary outings. Large gatherings were banned, and the operation of multi-use facilities such as theaters and cinemas was suspended.

According to Chinese media Pengpai, as of 6 p.m. local time yesterday, the number of patients related to Zhangjiajie across China had already reached 18, raising concerns.

This Zhangjiajie-related infection is understood to be an extension of the infections linked to Lukou Airport in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, which have been ongoing since the 20th.

The first confirmed patients related to Zhangjiajie, who came via Nanjing Airport, were from Dalian, and investigations revealed that they traveled around, including attending a performance in an indoor theater with about 2,000 people.

Pengpai reported that Zhangjiajie has become a "transmitter" of the Nanjing-related infections, and as of 2 p.m. the previous day, the number of Nanjing-related patients, including these, had reached 206. In Nanjing, 184 confirmed cases and 1 asymptomatic infection have been reported among airport workers and others between the 20th and 29th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.