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Coronavirus forces extended closure of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum until March 29

by Hajime Niiyama, Staff Writer

On March 20, in response to Hiroshima Prefecture’s second reported novel coronavirus case confirmed in Onomichi City that same day, the Hiroshima City government decided to extend temporary closure of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, located in the city’s Naka Ward, until March 29. By that time, the temporary museum closure, initiated on February 29, will have been in place for an entire month.

The temporary closure of the museum, designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, was originally scheduled to last until March 15. However, after the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the city’s Asaminami Ward, the closure was extended to March 19. On March 19, the closure was extended once again, until March 21. Hiroshima City has urged the public to voluntarily refrain from holding events with large crowds of people until March 29, and the museum shutdown was extended in consideration of this date.

A panel of experts advising the government on the new coronavirus outbreak warned that preventative measures must be based on the prevailing situation in each region. A staff member of Hiroshima City’s Crisis Management Division said, “It’s hard to know whether the coronavirus in the prefecture is spreading or not, so we are continually monitoring the situation.”

Hiroshima City will also extend, until March 29, the temporary closure of 11 public facilities, including Hiroshima Castle, in Naka Ward, and the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, in Minami Ward. The city will also continue closure of parts of 53 other sites, including the training rooms of Hiroshima’s ward sports centers, until March 29.

(Originally published on March 21, 2020)

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