Before-and-after satellite images show how the coronavirus has emptied global landmarks, from Mecca's Grand Mosque to Tiananmen Square
The major city of Wuhan, China — the epicenter of the outbreak — has been worst affected by the virus. This October 2019 picture of a toll plaza in the city shows cars lining up.
The outbreak has put the daily lives of millions of people on pause. Now, the same toll plaza in Wuhan is looking completely deserted in late February 2020.
As multiple international airlines started canceling their flights to China, Wuhan airport was especially impacted. Here is what it looked like last October...
... compared to what it looked like on February 25 this year — very empty and with no airplanes in sight.
Another airport impacted by the epidemic is the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, Iran — one of the worst-hit countries outside China. Here's the airport on January 11, 2020.
The airport looks significantly emptier now, as the country urges Iranians to limit their travel in an effort to stop the virus from spreading further.
Source: BBC
Back in China, one of its most iconic historical landmarks, Beijing's Tiananmen Square, is usually always filled with people. This picture was taken in February last year.
Almost exactly a year later, the square and its surrounding roads look much more deserted.
Another landmark heavily affected by coronavirus fears is the Grand Mosque, or Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca — one of the centers of Muslims' annual pilgrimage. This photo shows a large crowd surrounding the mosque's Kaaba on February 14 this year.
This photo — taken just 18 days later — shows the area looking visibly emptier, with much smaller crowds. Saudi authorities closed down the Kaaba and the Great Mosque in Mecca on February 27.
Saudi authorities also restricted tourist visas for those traveling to Mecca on pilgrimage on February 27. They reopened the mosque on Friday.
Another holy site in Iran — the Hazrat Masumeh Shrine in Qom city — is undergoing a similar transformation. This picture of the holy site, popular among tourists and pilgrims, was taken last September.
Here it is looking far less crowded on March 1. Though the authorities have not shut down the site, ministers have asked people not to travel to Qom.
Source: BBC
Theme parks have also borne the brunt of the virus. The top-left corner of this photo, taken February 1 this year, shows crowds gathering near Tokyo Disneyland's Space Mountain ride.
This photo, taken exactly one month later, shows those crowds completely gone. The theme park shut over coronavirus fears on February 28.
Authorities say the Tokyo Disneyland will shut until at least March 15.
Source: Fortune
Sites in Italy are also seeing massive downturns in foot traffic. This photo, taken January 22 this year, shows Milan's Piazza del Duomo, which sees more than five million visitors a year.
Source: Culture Trip
The famous tourist cite looks significantly void of people now, as can be seen in this aerial photo taken this week.
Italy is the worst-affected country in Europe, with more than 3,800 cases recorded as of Friday. Authorities have locked down multiple towns and canceled major public events.
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