Mar 1, 2020 - World

Louvre Museum closes amid workers' fears over coronavirus

Jacob Knutson

A person walking toward the Louvre Pyramide on Feb. 28 in Paris — A person walking toward the Louvre Pyramid on Feb. 28 in Paris. Photo: Stephane de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images

France’s Louvre Museum in Paris closed its doors on Sunday amid concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, AP reports.

Why it matters: The museum's 2,300 workers are fearful of contracting the virus from the museum’s visitors, who come from all around the world to visit.

What they're saying: "We are very worried because we have visitors from everywhere,” Andre Sacristin, a Louvre employee and union representative for its staffers, told the AP.

“The risk is very, very, very great,” Sacristin said. “[I]t’s only a question of time."

Of note: Would-be visitors were still waiting to get inside on Sunday afternoon to see priceless artwork like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" or Eugène Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People."

The big picture: Meanwhile, Italian soccer leagues and South Korean basketball leagues are playing televised games in empty arenas to avoid postponing or canceling them in response to outbreaks in those countries, according to AP.

Here's a list of sporting events that have been disrupted around the world, from archery to wrestling.

Go deeper: Coronavirus threatens Tokyo Olympics

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Louvre Museum closes amid workers' fears over coronavirus

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