
As the clock struck midnight, millions of Chinese people around the world ushered in the Lunar New Year, marking the start of the Year of the Rat.

Celebrations rang out from Los Angeles to Pyongyang, but in China itself streets remained on lockdown.

It comes after Beijing officials announced major events will be cancelled in a bid to control the spread of the killer coronavirus.

As the clock struck midnight, millions of Chinese people around the world ushered in the Lunar New Year, marking the start of the Year of the Rat. Pictured: Revellers in Thien Hau Temple in China Town, Los Angeles

Meanwhile, Beijing's streets were almost deserted as officials announced that major events would be cancelled in a bid to control the spread of the coronavirus

People pose for pictures in front of an entrance to the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which is closed to visitors

People walk outside an entrance to a section of the Great Wall of China which is closed to visitors in a bid to contain the disease

A woman wearing a face mask leaves a supermarket decorated with Chinese New Year lanterns in Beijing. Face masks are believed by some to limit the transmission of airborne viruses.

Celebrations rang out from Los Angeles to Pyongyang, but in China itself streets remained quiet. Pictured: Revellers in Thien Hau Temple in China Town, Los Angeles

It comes after Beijing officials announced major events will be cancelled in a bid to control the spread of the killer coronavirus. Pictured: Revellers in Thien Hau Temple in China Town, Los Angeles

People wear masks as they walk past rat sculptures outside a shopping mall after Chinese New Year celebrations were cancelled in Beijing

A nurse waits for transportation as she re-enters the city to return to Wuhan Yaxin General Hospital. Some 56 million people are now subject to restrictions on their movement as authorities expand travel bans in central Hubei province, now affecting 18 cities

Thai-Chinese women take photos in Chinatown in Bangkok. Meanwhile, much of China remains on lockdown in a bid to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus

A section of the Great Wall known as the Badaling section – one of the most visited parts – has been closed to tourists, Al Jazeera reports. Pictured: A street performer spews fire in the Chinatown district of Manila, Philippines

The death toll in China rose to 41 today from 26 a day earlier and more than 1,300 people have been infected globally with a virus traced to a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan that was illegally selling wildlife.

Wuhan, a city of 11 million, has been in virtual lockdown since Thursday, with nearly all flights at the airport cancelled and checkpoints blocking the main roads leading out of town.

Some 56 million people are now subject to restrictions on their movement as authorities expand travel bans in central Hubei province, now affecting 18 cities.

The 2020 Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, will start from today and ring in the year of the rat, the first of the 12 zodiac signs in the Chinese calendar.

People wearing masks wait for the start of a lion dance performance in Yokohama's Chinatown, west of Tokyo

People burn incense sticks to pray for good fortune at Songshan Ciyou Temple in Taipei, Taiwan today

A lion dance team performs outside a Chinese temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Rat in Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Dancers perform the traditional Chinese lion dance during celebrations in the Chinatown district of Manila, Philippines

People crowd under red lanterns during a cerebration to mark the Lunar New Year at Chinatown in Yangon, Myanmar

Spectators, some wearing protective face masks, watch a lion dance performance in Yokohama's Chinatown, west of Tokyo

The coronavirus death toll in China rose to 41 today from 26 a day earlier and more than 1,300 people have been infected globally with a virus traced to a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan that was illegally selling wildlife. Pictured: A woman puts a stick of incense in a shrine at the Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown, Los Angeles

Wuhan, a city of 11 million, has been in virtual lockdown since Thursday, with nearly all flights at the airport cancelled and checkpoints blocking the main roads leading out of town. Pictured: People celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown, Los Angeles

The 2020 Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, will start from today and ring in the year of the rat, the first of the 12 zodiac signs in the Chinese calendar. Pictured: Girls play a maypole game on Kim Il Sung Square as part of festivities in Pyongyang

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But as the country's citizens are poised to celebrate their most important holiday of the year, temples have locked their doors, major tourist destinations have announced emergency closures and restaurant reservations are being cancelled.

Shanghai Disney Resort posted on its website: 'In response to the prevention and control of the disease outbreak and in order to ensure the health and safety of our guests and cast, Shanghai Disney Resort is temporarily closing Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown.

'We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and... announce the reopening date upon confirmation.'

A section of the Great Wall known as the Badaling section – one of the most visited parts – has been closed to tourists, Al Jazeera reports.

Beijing's Forbidden Palace, which hosts the Palace Museum, will be closed to visitors from Saturday.

China's National Health Commission has announced it had formed six medical teams totalling 1,230 medical staff to help Wuhan. Three of the six teams, from Shanghai, Guangdong and military hospitals have arrived in Wuhan.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has declared a virus emergency in the Asian financial hub, announcing a package of measures to limit the city's links with mainland China.

As China's citizens are poised to celebrate their most important holiday of the year, temples have locked their doors, major tourist destinations have announced emergency closures and restaurant reservations are being cancelled. Pictured: Celebrations in Pyongyang

A four-day carnival planned in Hong Kong, from January 25 to 28, has been cancelled by the state tourism board amid the coronavirus outbreak. Pictured: Children play with kites during festivities in Pyongyang

Dancers dressed in a costume perform a traditional Chinese dragon during celebrations at the Thien Hau Temple in Los Angeles

People interact with performers dressed in a costume during a traditional Chinese dragon dance in Los Angeles, California

Lunar New Year celebration comes in various forms. Chinese people wear red jackets and jumpers to the streets, buy red lanterns and paper-cuttings to decorate their homes and even prepare red steamed buns to be eaten during family reunions. Pictured: A performer in Los Angeles

Schools, now on Lunar New Year holidays, would remain shut until February 17, while inbound and outbound flights and high speed rail trips between Hong Kong and Wuhan would be halted.

The territory was also treating 122 people suspected of having the disease.

A four-day carnival planned in Hong Kong, from January 25 to 28, has been cancelled by the state tourism board.

A woman praying alone in front of shut temple gates was one of the only signs of Lunar New Year observances at Beijing's Lama Temple on Saturday, as fears over a deadly new virus mount in China.

The popular Tibetan Buddhist temple, which had more than 80,000 visitors during the holiday last year, is usually packed with crowds queuing to burn incense for good luck.

The epicentre of the SARS-like virus is in central China, but it has spread to other regions, prompting authorities as far as the nation's northern capital to close tourist attractions and cancel public events to prevent further contagion from a disease that has killed dozens and infected more than 1,000.

Authorities even decided to stop long-distance bus services to and from the capital of 20 million from Sunday as part of efforts to control the spread of the virus, state media reported.

Security guards loitered in front of Beijing's Lama Temple on Lunar New Year, shooing away anyone who lingered for too long.

A red sign on the closed front gate said the temple was closed until further notice 'in order to guarantee the physical health of the religious masses and the Buddhist monks.'

'It doesn't feel like the New Year,' said a 21-year-old woman in a long beige jacket, who only gave her surname Li.

Wearing a white surgical mask, Li said she had planned to burn incense at Lama Temple, before realising it was closed.

In the capital of 20 million, where health authorities have reported at least 39 infected patients, famous landmarks were closed to prevent the virus from spreading, including the historic Forbidden City and a section of the Great Wall.

The Ming Tombs and Yinshan Pagoda are also not open to visitors. Beijing Ditan and Longtan Temple Fairs - held for roughly three decades according to state media - were also cancelled.

In central Hubei province, where the majority of cases have emerged, more drastic measures were taken: travel restrictions have been imposed in cities housing 56 million people.

'When we left home, it (the virus) wasn't that serious yet,' said a 40-year-old woman, who arrived in Beijing from southern Guangdong province before the closures began.

'I am worried, but I also feel like worrying too much is useless,' she added. 'It's better to face it head-on.'

- 'No point in worrying' -

At a shopping district near Beijing's Houhai lake, where tourists buy street food and souvenirs, many restaurants were open on the first day of Spring Festival.

The narrow streets were festooned with red lanterns and Chinese flags, while food stalls sold snacks like stinky tofu and sugar-coated fruit.

Shanghai Disney Resort posted on its website: 'In response to the prevention and control of the disease outbreak and in order to ensure the health and safety of our guests and cast, Shanghai Disney Resort is temporarily closing Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown.' Pictured: Security personnel wearing face masks stand at the gates of the Resort today

But there were fewer people than normal, pointed out Huo, a 63-year-old Beijing native who only offered his surname.

'There's definitely an impact (from the virus),' he said. 'Look at how few people there are.'

But when asked whether he was worried about the virus, Huo remained nonchalant.

'In 2003, SARS was much worse,' he said, referring to an outbreak that killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong.

'I don't have to wear a mask because everyone else is,' joked another man, who had travelled from eastern Shandong province.

'There's no point in worrying,' he added.

Hong Kong's Lunar New Year World Cup football tournament has been called off in a bid to protect the spread of the virus. Pictured: People perform a lion dance in Indonesia

Some tourists also felt they had no choice but to go through with travel plans to Beijing despite the closures and risk of infection.

At the upscale Taikoo Li shopping distrct, a 26-year-old woman said her hotel refused to refund her booking.

'Some people are over-panicking,' she said, explaining that some friends were worried about getting infected, even while staying at home.

'The atmosphere is a bit tense this year,' agreed another woman, a 47-year-old who gave her surname as Zhang.

The situation in Beijing is not as serious as Wuhan, the epicentre of the epidemic, she said, which was put under effective quarantine on Thursday.

Still, 'people aren't really going out for gatherings or socialising - a lot has been cancelled,' she said, her voice muffled through a blue surgical mask.

Yesterday, London's Chinese community wore surgical masks as they prepared for the celebrations amid fears that the coronavirus could spread to British shores

Lucky lanterns were hung from windows as drivers dropped off deliveries to restaurants preparing for tomorrow's big day.

Hong Kong's Lunar New Year World Cup football tournament has been called off.

Yesterday evening, London's Chinese community wore surgical masks as they prepared for the celebrations amid fears that the coronavirus could spread to British shores.

Face masks are believed by some to limit the transmission of airborne viruses.

Lucky lanterns were hung from windows as drivers dropped off deliveries to restaurants in preparation.

Preparations came as the UK government held a Cobra meeting over fears the deadly coronavirus, which has already claimed the lives of at least 26 people, could spread to the UK.

Boris Johnson hosted colourful Chinese dragons in Downing Street earlier on Friday while ministers were nearby discussing the deadly in the Far East.

He hosted figures from the British-Chinese community in the heart of Westminster.

The festivities to herald in the Year of the Rat in 2020 came as the Government held a Cobra crisis meeting to discuss the coronavirus outbreak

Young students from the Woking Chinese School enjoy a visit to 10 Downing Street, London, in celebration of Chinese New Year