Hospitality Companies Watch Out for Virus Outbreak in China

   By Dave Sebastian 
 

Hospitality businesses with operations in China are monitoring the spread of China's pneumonialike virus, with Carnival Corp. (CCL) not allowing any individual from Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the coronavirus originated from, to board its cruises, a Carnival spokesman said Friday.

Carnival's medical team is in touch with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization about recommended screenings for passengers, monitoring and ship protocols, the spokesman said. Those measures could include temperature and questionnaire screening for travelers entering cruises from China and other areas as well as an illness and disease reporting protocol, he said.

Marriott International Inc. (MAR) said it is waiving cancellation fees through Feb. 8 for reservations at its hotels in China and of those from China traveling to other countries.

"Our hotels are following the guidelines of local authorities and reinforcing recommended measures on appropriate hygiene standards," Marriott said in a statement.

Marriott, which has more than 350 properties in the Greater China region, said it is tracking statements from the CDC and WHO.

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) said it is temporarily closing its Disneyland and Disneytown parks in Shanghai, starting Saturday. The closure comes during the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, which is typically a busy travel period.

Disney said it would work to refund tickets bought to Disneyland, resort hotel rooms reserved, and tickets for Beauty and the Beast Mandarin production booked through Disney's official ticket-purchasing platform.

The official death count related to the pneumonialike virus is 26, with the number of infections rising to at least 881 confirmed cases. The outbreak originated from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and Chinese authorities have halted public transportation out of several cities in Hubei province in response to the disease's rapid spread.

Write to Dave Sebastian at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 24, 2020 12:27 ET (17:27 GMT)

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