International Events Suspended, Other Cancelled Due to Coronavirus

As the deadly coronavirus is being highly spread around the world, many international events have been suspended and others were canceled.

Tokyo Disney parks closing for two weeks over coronavirus

Disney (DIS) is closing down its theme parks in Japan as the novel coronavirus outbreak in that country escalates.

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea will shut down on Saturday and stay closed through March 15, the parks' operator Oriental Land announced on Friday.

The closure comes in the wake of a request by Japan's government to cancel or postpone big gatherings and events over the next few weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The virus has killed eight people in Japan and sickened more than 900, the vast majority of them connected to the cruise ship that became a floating quarantine zone off of Yokohoma earlier this month. Worldwide, there are at least 2,800 deaths, mostly in mainland China, and more than 83,000 global cases, with infections on every continent except Antarctica.

The Tokyo resort said it will refund guests for admission fees and hotel bookings. It said the park, for now, is scheduled to reopen on March 16.

Disney could take a $280 million hit from its Chinese parks because of the coronavirus and protests

Six AFC Champions League Games Postponed

Among the Asian Champions League matches to have been postponed to later dates as a result of the novel coronavirus, given the official title of COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, are those that pit United Arab Emirates teams Al Wahda and Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai against Iranian sides Esteghlal and Shahr Khodro, respectively, on March 2 and 3.

Games involving two other Iranian clubs, Persepolis and Sepahan, have also been postponed.

Persepolis was due to face Saudi Arabia's Al Taawoun on March 2, while Sepahan had two meetings scheduled with Al Nassr, also from Saudi Arabia, on March 3 and April 6.

COVID-19 has disrupted a wide range of sports competitions including Formula One, Six Nations rugby, and Europe’s Champions League football.

The rescheduling of the women’s Olympic qualifiers is just the latest setback for a tournament that has weathered several setbacks.

The qualifying tournament, originally scheduled for virus epicenter Wuhan, was moved to Nanjing and then Sydney as the health emergency grew.

China’s team was quarantined in Australia after arriving for the tournament, and even after reaching the playoffs their home leg against South Korea was moved to Sydney.

South Korean boy band BTS cancels some concerts in Seoul, citing coronavirus outbreak

South Korean boy band BTS canceled four shows in Seoul, citing the global coronavirus outbreak.

The popular boy band had been scheduled to perform at the Olympic Stadium on April 11, 12, 18 and 19.

The cancellations come as South Korea reports rapidly rising cases of the virus, which is believed to have originated in China before spreading globally.

Earlier Friday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the country has more than 2,000 confirmed cases from the new coronavirus, which has so far killed 13 people in South Korea.

Saudi Arabia closes two holiest shrines to foreigners as coronavirus fears grow

Saudi Arabia has closed the two holiest shrines of Islam to foreign travelers and banned pilgrims from entering the country as fears surrounding the coronavirus outbreak continue to grow in the Middle East.

Officials in the kingdom said the ban, announced late on Wednesday, was temporary but gave no indication how long it might last. It comes amid a broader ban on visa holders from states deemed most likely to pose a risk to regional health.

“The kingdom’s government has decided to [suspend] entry to the kingdom for the purpose of umrah and visit the Prophet’s mosque temporarily,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.

Geneva Motor Show canceled after the virus causes the government to ban large events

The 2020 Geneva Motor Show is canceled after the Swiss government banned gatherings of 1,000 people or more on Friday due to concerns over the coronavirus. The ban is effective immediately and runs at least until March 15th. The 90th edition of GIMS was scheduled to start next week.