Japan has cut down more than 100,000 tulips to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Thousands of tulips usually blanket fields in the city of Sakura, attracting tourists who want to take a glimpse of the bright flowers.
But as the world adheres to strict social distancing rules to combat the pandemic, Japanese authorities have decided to chop down over 100,000 tulips so the beds would no longer be a tourist attraction. They aso cancelled the annual tulip festival at the Sakura Furusato Hiroba gardens.
City tourism official Sakiho Kusano said: “Many visitors came on the weekend when the flowers were in full bloom. It became a mass gathering so we had no choice but to make the decision to cut the flowers.”
Beautiful red and pink flowers carpeting the 7,000-square meter gardens have disappeared and only their green stalks are left.
Most flowers have been given to local kindergartens.
But despite the officials’ efforts to stop person-to-person contact, many tourists are still visiting the gardens.
A 77-year-old visitor, Misako Yonekubo, said: “It’s very, very, very unfortunate. My mood sank when I saw this.”
As of April 23, there are 11,950 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Japan with 299 fatalities. The country is tacking another outbreak after 33 more crew members of the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for the deadly bug.
Meanwhile, 8 toddlers and babies at a care center in Tokyo have tested positive for COVID-19 after a staff caught the disease.
According to Tokyo Saiseikai Central Hospital, which runs the care center, the affected children had been admitted to the hospital. The facility is for children separated from their parents due to neglect or possible abuse and for orphans.
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Replaced!