Virus Outbreak: New Taipei shuts public centers, museums for 14 daysCONTAINMENT: Mayor Hou You-yi made the surprise announcement at a planned public sports center opening, highlighting the need to curb the spread of COVID-19By Dennis Xie / Staff writer, with CNAAll public sports centers, activity centers and museums in New Taipei City are to close for 14 days, starting today, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday. Some more renowned venues in the city that are to close for 14 days due to the new measure include the Yingge Ceramics Museum (鶯歌陶瓷博物館), the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology (十 三行博物館), the Gold Museum (黃金博物館), the Hakka Museum (客家文化園區演藝廳) and the Wulai Atayal Museum (烏來泰雅民族博物館), the New Taipei City Government said. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi, left, speaks at the planned opening of a public sports center in Sinjhuang District yesterday. As of 8pm on Wednesday, about 1,300 people affected by the policy registered for home quarantine, city government data showed. The New Taipei City Education Department said that there would be no public entry or space rental at the city’s primary and secondary schools until the end of the semester as part of efforts to increase disease-prevention standards on campuses.

Source: Taipei Times March 19, 2020 15:56 UTC