Coronavirus Infected Visitor: Hong Kong Disneyland Closed, Staff Undergo COVID-19 Tests

Hong Kong Disneyland illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Mk2010)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong Disneyland closed on Wednesday as mandatory COVID-19 tests were carried out for all staff, after authorities found one weekend visitor infected with the coronavirus.

Disneyland, which is majority-owned by the city government with Walt Disney holding a minority stake, said in a statement the closure was due to extreme caution and advised visitors to reschedule.

Anyone who visits the park, which has had to be closed several times for a long time since the start of the pandemic, on November 14 between 11:00 a.m. and 18:00 p.m. should also be tested on Thursday, the government said separately, citing Reuters November 17.

Despite having barely recorded local coronavirus cases in recent months, authorities at the global financial hub have tightened quarantine and discharge rules.

Hong Kong is following in Beijing's footsteps in maintaining strict travel restrictions, in contrast to the global trend of opening up and living with the coronavirus. The city government hopes tougher rules will convince China, the main source of its economic growth, to gradually open its border with Hong Kong.

Last month, all guests inside Shanghai Disneyland were asked to undergo a COVID-19 test at the exit, in connection with COVID-19 investigations related to other Chinese provinces and cities.

Meanwhile, international business lobby groups have warned Hong Kong could lose talent and investment, as well as the competitiveness to compete with financial hubs such as Singapore, unless they relax travel restrictions.

Separately, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said on Tuesday he was resigning because he could not appeal to authorities to relax COVID-19 restrictions at the same time, as he had to undergo self-quarantine.

To note, JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon, who was in Hong Kong on Monday and released from quarantine under current rules for some executives said Hong Kong's COVID-19 policies made it difficult to retain staff.