Local walking tours delayed, attractions closed during holiday

Some activities scheduled in Shanghai during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday will be delayed, while some tourist attractions will be closed, authorities announced on Wednesday.

The announcement comes in the wake of a pneumonia outbreak, caused by a novel coronavirus, which has so far stricken over 400 people across China.

Walking tours to explore historical buildings in Xuhui, Jing'an and Huangpu districts which were scheduled on January 29 will be delayed as a precautionary measure, organizers said.

The tours are divided into five routes and 500 people were expected to participate. A rescheduled date has not been announced.

Some attractions in the Hengfu (Hengshan-Fuxing Road) Historical Conservation Zone will not open between January 24 and 30, the Xuhui District Administration of Culture and Tourism announced.

These include the former residences of cartoonist Zhang Leping (1910-1992), playwright Ke Ling (1909-2000), playwright Xia Yan (1900-1995), a restored study of translator Cao Ying (1923-2015), as well as the historical Cloisters Apartments, according to the administration.