After reopening last month, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park are having to close their doors once again. A spike in cases of the coronavirus has led the parks to take immediate action, in order to prevent a second wave of the virus. A second wave would be devastating to the worldwide economy.
Hong Kong Disneyland officially reopened on June 18, after being closed since January. Ocean Park reopened sooner, on June 13. The relevant authorities have taken the action and closed theme parks, after a recent surge of cases swept through the country. Large local gatherings, dining-in at restaurants, and going to the gym are amongst the activities that have been temporarily suspended.
In a statement online, Hong Kong Disneyland said, “As required by the government and health authorities and in line with the prevention efforts taking place across Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland park will temporarily close from July 15, 2020.”
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s on-site hotels will remain open for now. The hotels will have “enhanced health and safety measures… such as social distancing measures and increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitization.”
Yesterday, the Hong Kong government imposed strict social distancing measures, after 52 new cases were reported on Monday. Since late January, Hong Kong has reported 1,522 cases of COVID-19, with the eighth death reported on Monday. The Hong Kong government said: “The recent emergence of local cases of unknown infection source indicates the existence of sustained silent transmission in the community.”
In a similar statement to Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park released information that stated: “In response to the government’s requirement for all scheduled premises under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation to cease operation from 15 July to 21 July in the wake of the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, and with the scheduled park closure every Tuesday, Ocean Park will be temporarily closed from 14 to 21 July to help curb the COVID-19 epidemic.”
