Mogao Grottoes world heritage site closed for epidemic control

People visit the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, May 10, 2020. (Photo by Sun Zhijun/Xinhua)

LANZHOU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Three popular grottoes including a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mogao Grottoes, in northwest China's Gansu Province, were temporarily closed to visitors on Wednesday as local authorities beefed up epidemic control measures.

The reopening dates for the Mogao Grottoes, the Yulin Grottoes and the Western Thousand-Buddha Caves located in the city of Jiuquan are subject to further notice, the Dunhuang Academy said.

The closure came after confirmed COVID-19 cases from other provinces had earlier traveled to the cities of Jiuquan, Jiayuguan and Zhangye.

Photo taken on July 27, 2020 shows a view of the Danxia landform at Zhangye Geopark in Zhangye, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

As of Tuesday, Gansu Province had four locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and two asymptomatic cases, all in the provincial capital of Lanzhou, according to the provincial health commission.

The new infections have prompted authorities to temporarily close more than 40 tourist destinations in Lanzhou, Jiayuguan and Zhangye starting Monday.