Visitors were trapped inside Shanghai Disney after the park’s representatives told people they couldn’t leave the venue until they tested negative for Covid-19.
The move came after city authorities reported that ten locally transmitted cases had been detected on Saturday.
With this decision, Shanghai Disney joins the high-profile venues that have been forced to close their doors due to China’s strict zero-Covid policy.
Millions of people have already been locked up in unusual places due to the country’s strict and controversial zero Covid policy. Many have even been forced to flee shops and workplaces to avoid being trapped inside.
Videos shared by users on social media platforms showed visitors running towards the park gates, trying to escape from the place after the announcement. However, they all were already closed.
The shopping street and other areas surrounding the theme park were also closed after the coronavirus cases were reported.
The Shanghai government posted on the Chinese social media website WeChat that the Disney park had banned more people from entering, explaining those inside could only leave if they tested negative for Covid-19.
In addition, all those who visited the park from Thursday to Monday must undergo Covid-19 tests and test negative for three consecutive days.
Meanwhile, Shanghai Disney announced that it would give refunds to customers and extend the tickets’ validity by six months, as there is no reopening date for the park yet.
The themed park, which recently began operating at reduced capacity to comply with Covid-related measures, had unexpectedly closed before.
Around 30,000 people were trapped inside Shanghai Disney after local authorities launched Covid-19 contact tracing and forced park visitors to undergo tests in November last year.
China reported its first Covid-19 case almost three years ago, but it continues to impose strict Covid-19 measures to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Currently, the country reports at least 1,000 new cases per day. In an effort to curb infections, the Chinese government has imposed 200 different lockdowns this month, leaving millions of people under lockdown.
