Century-old Chinatowns feel brunt of coronavirus panic

Normally bustling century-old Chinatowns from Melbourne to San Francisco have fallen quiet and businesses are struggling to survive as fears over the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak ripple around the globe.

'Scaremongering is rampant' complains Max Huang, owner of the Juicy Bao restaurant in Melbourne's historic Chinese district. 'Customers won't come in if they can avoid it.'

Although the epicentre of the COVID-19 epidemic is more than a ten-hour-flight way, and Australia has seen just a handful of cases, the stigma of a disease that has claimed more than 1,500 lives is pervasive.

A woman works in an empty coffee shop in New York's Chinatown. | Businesses report their earnings have dropped by more than half and they have been forced to cut staff hours dramatically, a situation echoed in Chinatowns across the world.

A dog walks between apartment blocks in Sihanoukville's Chinatown district, Cambodia. | A ban on travellers from China has hit many neighbourhoods particularly hard.

Hoping to reassure would-be customers, some businesses have tacked up notices saying they disinfect their interiors regularly to prevent disease.

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City and the city is urging people to visit Chinatown to shop and dine but revenues are still down around 40% as fears continue over the coronavirus.

Visitors desert Los Angeles Chinatown over COVID-19 fears.

People wear masks as they walk through New York's Chinatown.

A deserted Los Angeles Chinatown as people stay away due to fear of the novel coronavirus.

Half empty pews are seen during a mass at the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Manila’s Chinatown, Philippines.

A man wears a mask in Chinatown in New York.

Despite there being no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Namibia, its effects have been nevertheless felt in the Chinese business community based in Windhoek.

A restaurant worker wearing a mask stands in front of a Chinese restaurant clustered with photos of the menu items in Yokohama's Chinatown, near Tokyo. A top Olympic official made clear Friday the 2020 Games in Tokyo will not be cancelled despite the virus that has spread from China.

A lady crossing the street in Melbourne's Chinatown.

A woman wearing a face mask walking past a charms shop in the Binondo district of Chinatown in Manila.

A shopkeeper waiting for customers in Melbourne's Chinatown.

A man walks by a deserted Los Angeles Chinatown as most stay away due to fear of the novel coronavirus.

A man wearing a mask passes by the Chinatown main entrance gate in Incheon, South Korea.

There are no confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City and the city is urging people to visit Chinatown to shop and dine.

An empty restaurant stands in New York's Chinatown.

People walk through New York's Chinatown.

A worker sits in an empty gift shop in New York's Chinatown.

People walk by an empty coffee shop in New York's Chinatown.

A view of the deserted Los Angeles Chinatown.

People wearing face masks walking in front of an altar in the Binondo district of Chinatown in Manila.

Tourists putting on face masks in London's Chinatown district.

Melbourne’s normally bustling Chinatown empties.

A man sitting inside a Chinese restaurant in London's Chinatown district.

A worker waiting for customers in London's Chinatown district.