Taiwan's Ningxia Night Market is ongoing in Sentosa, and scheduled to run for slightly over three weeks from Jan. 16 to Feb. 9.

Unfortunately, shortly after setting up shop, Singapore announced its first case of the Wuhan virus on Jan. 23.

The following week saw another nine cases.

When Mothership visited on Saturday, Feb. 1, there were almost no queues at the stalls in Zone 1 and 2, despite the fact that it was past 7pm.

The night market is supposed to open from 5pm to 10:30pm.

Staff at the stores were working hard to attract sales from anyone walking by.

There were plenty of empty tables and seats, with a live band performing to a crowd of around 30 people.

At 9pm, this was what the place looked like:

Will continue to operate till last day

The organisers of the event told Mothership that their footfall and sales are "definitely affected due to the virus", as the number of visitors has dropped compared to previous nights.

But they remain "encouraged" by the turnout and will continue to operate till the last day on Feb. 9.

Precautionary measures for vendors and crew are also being taken.

This includes:

Taking temperature readings for all vendors and crew before and after the event. Anyone found to be unwell will be sent home.

Providing masks for all vendors and crew.

Having the cleaners disinfect the tables and chairs each time they clear the tables.

Other parts of Singapore affected as well

The night market isn't the only place affected by the outbreak.

Tourist spots, shoppings malls, and town area were also quieter, even over the weekend.

One retailer in town reported a drop of 20 to 30 per cent in earnings, while others declined to reveal the number.

Chatuchak Market has also just started its run in Singapore, but interest in it remains high, judging by online engagement.

Top photo by Sumita Thiagarajan