HONG KONG • Hong Kong Disneyland announced yesterday it was shutting its doors until further notice over the deadly virus outbreak in central China, a day after city authorities classified the crisis as an emergency.

The park said it was taking the step to protect "the health and safety of our guests and cast members", mirroring a similar move by Shanghai Disneyland.

Ocean Park, a rival amusement park on Hong Kong's main island, said it was also closing its doors.

On Saturday, Hong Kong classified the outbreak as an "emergency" - the city's highest warning tier - and announced ramped-up measures to reduce the risk of further infections.

Calls have been made by politicians and some medical experts to halt, or limit, arrivals from China, where the epidemic began.

Of the six people in the city to have tested positive for the virus, five arrived via a newly built high-speed train terminal which connects with the mainland.

A newly formed union that represents healthcare workers yesterday threatened industrial action from Feb 3 if the government does not ban all arrivals from China.

In the district of Fanling, residents held a protest against plans to earmark an empty public housing block as a temporary quarantine area for patients and front-line medical staff who do not want to return to their families.

The nearby gambling hub of Macau yesterday announced three more cases of the coronavirus, bringing its total to five. All three new cases were women who came from Wuhan. One of the women had arrived in Macau via Hong Kong, the authorities said.

Taiwan yesterday further tightened restrictions on visitors from China, suspending entry for many, apart from business travellers and a few other exceptions like people married to Taiwanese.

Taiwan has close economic and cultural links with China and has so far reported three cases of the coronavirus. Taiwan has already stopped Chinese tour groups from visiting and has now banned all people from Hubei from entering the island.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS