SHANGHAI, Jan 24 — Shanghai Disneyland will close until further notice this weekend due to a deadly virus outbreak that has infected hundreds of people in China, the amusement park said today.

The closure comes as China entered its nearly week-long Lunar New Year holiday, and the home of Mickey Mouse had prepared special "Year of the Mouse” celebrations for its guests.

But the park and resort said on its website it would temporarily close from tomorrow "in response to the prevention and control of the disease outbreak and in order to ensure the health and safety” of its guests and staff.

"We will continue to carefully monitor the situation and be in close contact with the local government, and we will announce the reopening date upon confirmation,” it said, adding that guests who had purchased tickets or booked a resort hotel would be reimbursed.

The entertainment conglomerate opened its US$5.5 billion (RM22.4 billion) theme park in Shanghai in June 2016, Disney’s sixth amusement park and third in Asia. — AFP