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World without crowds: Eerie photos of empty cities in coronavirus lockdown

Click to play video: 'Coronavirus outbreak: New York’s iconic Times Square nearly deserted over COVID-19 fears'
Coronavirus outbreak: New York’s iconic Times Square nearly deserted over COVID-19 fears
WATCH: Times Square was noticeably emptier Wednesday night amid ongoing concerns over COVID-19 – Mar 19, 2020

Photographers working through the novel coronavirus pandemic are providing a dystopian glimpse of a world without people, as some of humanity’s most populated sites are cleared of their crowds due to fears of spreading the COVID-19 disease.

Mecca, Times Square and Las Vegas are just a few of the typically bustling sites that now sit empty as people around the world remain indoors and avoid crowds during the pandemic.

Here’s what a world without (most) people looks like:

Las Vegas, Nev., U.S.A.

People walk along the Las Vegas Strip, devoid of the usual crowds, after casinos were ordered to shut down due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
Las Vegas Boulevard is nearly empty after all casinos in the state were ordered to shut down due to the novel coronavirus, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/David Becker

France

A man sits on the banks of the River Seine near the ruins of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on March 19, 2020. Eliot Blondet/ABACAPRESS.COM
A view of the mostly empty Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris, Thursday, March 19, 2020. AP Photo/Michel Euler

Toronto, Ont.

An almost-empty Terminal 3 is shown at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Friday, March 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
A shopper uses an escalator at the Eaton Centre in Toronto, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Natasha Hermann

New York City, N.Y., U.S.A.

An empty Times Square is seen following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in New York City, N.Y., March 18, 2020. AP Photo/Seth Wenig
An empty Times Square is seen on the street following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease, in New York City, N.Y., March 18, 2020. AP Photo/Seth Wenig

New Delhi, India

A general view of the empty Safdarjung tomb after it was temporarily shut down for public visits as a precautionary measure due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, in New Delhi, March 17, 2020. EPA/RAJAT GUPTA

China

People wearing protective face masks are seen on an overpass following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in downtown Shanghai, China, March 13, 2020. AP Photo
A person walks in an almost empty Solana shopping mall area in Beijing, China, Feb. 12, 2020. A person walks in an almost empty Solana shopping mall area in Beijing, China, 12 February 2020.

South Korea

A general view of the empty Jogyesa temple in Seoul, South Korea, March 19, 2020. EPA/JEON HEON-KYUN
A woman wearing a protective mask following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease rides a bicycle at an empty parking lot of an amusement park in Daegu, South Korea, March 12, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Vancouver, B.C.

The empty streets are seen in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Italy

A view on an empty street during the novel coronavirus emergency lockdown in Turin, Italy, March 11, 2020. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
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Piazza del Duomo, which is usually impossible to walk through because of the crowds, is shown empty in Milan, Italy on March 10, 2020. Enza Tamborra/ABACAPRESS.COM
Rome’s Spanish Steps, a popular tourist attraction, are shown empty amid a sweeping lockdown to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus in Italy on March 12, 2020. Piero Tenagli/IPA/ABACAPRESS.COM

Saudi Arabia

Muslims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia on March 7, 2020. AP/Amr Nabil

Calgary, Alta.

Empty downtown streets in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, March 18, 2020, amid a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Spain

A woman takes a photo of her dog in front of Barcelona’s cathedral, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2020. AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
A woman walks her dog on an almost empty street in Murcia, southeast Spain, March 19, 2020. EPA/Marcial Guillen

Hungary

Customers walk in the empty hall of a movie theatre in Budapest, Hungary, March 12, 2020. EPA/Marton Monus

Germany

General view of empty stands prior to the UEFA Europa League round of 16, the first-leg soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Basel in Frankfurt Main, Germany, March 12, 2020. EPA/ARMANDO BABANI

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Health officials say the risk is low for Canadians but warn this could change quickly. They caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are asked to self-isolate for 14 days in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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