Shen Yun Performing Arts Tour Exacerbates Global Epidemic

Distribution Map of Global COVID-19 Epidemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently spreading worldwide, with outbreaks in more than 80 countries. As of 18:00 on March 7, a total of 22,794 cases and 448 deaths had been confirmed outside China.

A total of 7,041 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in South Korea including 438deaths, 5,823 in Iran including 145deaths, 4,636 confirmed cases in Italy including 197 deaths, 1,139in Japan including 12 deaths, 711 in Germany, 613 in France, and 335 in the United States.

Global Risk Assessment for the Coronavirus Raised to

WHO’s Highest Risk Level “Very High”

On February 28, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced in Geneva that the global risk assessment for the novel coronavirus would be raised to “very high”, WHO’s highest risk level.

Earlier, Tedros said that the world was at a “decisive point” to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The WHO advocated that every country be prepared for all possible scenarios at the same time, and that no country should be comfortable with its current situation of no confirmed cases.

On March 5, the WHO provided more worldwide updates on the outbreak of COVID-19 at a daily briefing in Geneva. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that some countries had not taken the threat posed by the disease seriously enough. He said the WHO was deeply concerned about such ill-prepared countries, particularly those with weaker health systems, given the spreading of the epidemic to more countries.

EU Raising Coronavirus Risk Level from “Medium to High”

On March 2, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union’s disease control agency had raised the risk level of the new coronavirus from “medium to high”.

She said that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced on March 2 that the risk level for EU countries to be infected with the new coronavirus had been raised from “medium to high”. In other words, the virus continues to spread.

Three U.S. States Declaring State of Emergency

On March 4, California Governor declared a state of emergency over the new coronavirus. California is currently the third state in the country to declare a state of emergency. Earlier, Washington state and Florida declared emergency declarations.

On February 26, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said as for the spreading of coronavirus in USA, “It’s not so much a question of if this [spreading in American communities] will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen…”

UN Officials Urging Greater Global Efforts to Contain COVID-19

On February 28, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on governments to take action to do everything possible to contain the outbreak of COVID-19.

At an emergency press conference on that day, Guterres said it’s possible to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, “but the window of opportunity is narrowing.” He added that a number of other countries had reported confirmed cases for the first time, including those on the African continent. “This not a time for panic – it is time to be prepared – fully prepared.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a news conference on February 28.

Guterres called on all countries to fully shoulder their responsibilities and the international community to fully support and unite in response to the outbreak.

Major Sports Events and Theatrical Performances in Many Countries

Cancelled Over Coronavirus Concerns

In order to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, the Paris Marathon organizers announced on March 5 that the Paris Marathon, initially scheduled for April 5, was postponed to October 18.

The Italian government issued a new prevention and control decree, suspending all sports and recreational activities in areas with severe outbreaks.

Several recent performances at the Paris Opera have been “cancelled” as the official performance status shows.

Shen Yun Performing Arts Insisting on Global Tour Yet Performances Cancelled Across Countries

In the context of escalating global epidemic, Shen Yun Performing Arts still insists on touring in the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia and other countries.

Ignoring the risk of the COVID-19 outbreak, Shen Yun Performing Arts becomes a public revulsion. Due to fears of coronavirus outbreak, all Shen Yun performances in South Korea, which were scheduled for February 7-9 at the Daejeon Arts Center, February 18-19 at the Hanam Culture and Arts Center, and February 22 at the Chuncheon City Arts Center, were cancelled amid public protests.

On March 1, the Arcimboldi Theatre in Milan, Italy announced that it would postpone Shen Yun performances at the theatre scheduled for March 4-8.

Shen Yun Performing Arts’ Ridiculous Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak

Most of the cast members at Shen Yun Performing Arts are members of the cult Falun Gong, who firmly believe that with the blessing of Li Hongzhi, the chief director of the performances, people could be immune to COVID-19 as long as they keep chanting “Falun Gong is good, as is being true, kind and tolerant” and reading the book Zhuan Falun: Turning the Law Wheel.

On February 20, the Falun Gong website, The Epoch Times, posted an article entitled “The Energy of Falun Gong Practitioners Kills ‘Superbugs’”, saying that “the energy in Falun Gong practitioner venues and on Falun Gong practitioners can kill “superbugs”.

Thus, Falun Gong practitioners do not do anything to protect themselves from infectious diseases.

Li Lanxuan, a member of China’ National Health Commission high-level expert group and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that all people are susceptible to the novel coronavirus. People with low immune function, the elderly and so on are more susceptible to the infection and easier to turn into seriously ill patients, so they need to pay special attention to protection. Recently, more than 3,000 “Shincheonji” believers in South Korea were diagnosed with novel coronavirus.

In February, Shen Yun New York spent most of its time in South Korea, one of the areas worst-hit by the coronavirus, and the chances of the group’s cast members being infected were high.

Recently, according to the Internet, a number of members of Falun Gong US headquarters, Longquan Temple, and Shen Yun Performing Arts have been suspected of contracting novel coronavirus.

Back in 1999, Falun Gong was outlawed as a evil cult by the Chinese government and the ringleader, Li Hongzhi, was wanted by the Chinese police. Obsessive Falun Gong practitioners firmly believed that practicing Falun Gong could cure diseases and “expel retribution” – doctors are not needed when people get sick, which has led to more than 2,000 deaths.

Locals protest against Shen Yun Performances

outside Lincoln Center on March 5

On March 5, American public voted with their feet during a Shen Yun performance at Lincoln Center in New York. The 2,500-seat theatre was empty except for just a couple of hundred people, mainly Falun Gong practitioners. Outside were local protesters.

Anti-epidemic experts warned that the theater is a crowded place and the theaters hosting Shen Yun performances should cancel the performance plans as soon as possible, for Shen Yun Performing Arts allows a global flow of performers and neglects its responsibility of prevention, which will easily lead to epidemic spreading. For the sake of their own life and health, people should avoid theaters and other crowded places, and not go to watch Shen Yun performances.