New York (AFP)

Broadway theaters closed, St Patrick's Day parade canceled, gatherings of more than 500 people banned: the flagship city of American culture, one of the great capitals of world culture, suffered its first shock on Thursday new coronavirus.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the news as pressure was mounting to cancel major events in this city of 8.5 million people, which now has around 100 cases confirmed from Covid-19, with numbers increasing from hour to hour.

"We are taking drastic measures (..) to reduce the number of people in a contagious environment: no gathering of more than 500 people," said Governor Andrew Cuomo.

He said the ban would be effective as of Friday evening, except for Broadway theaters - all of which have a capacity of more than 500 seats, often more than 1,000 - where it begins this Thursday at 5 p.m. (9 p.m. GMT), and until April 12.

The curtains will therefore remain drawn for at least a month on the 41 theaters whose signs illuminate the Times Square district, in the heart of Manhattan, with shows that we come to see from all over the world, from "Lion King" to " Hamilton ", including the all-new remake of" West Side Story ".

This is a new blow to the American entertainment industry, already shaken by multiple cancellations of concerts and festivals, such as Coachella, South by Southwest or Ultra, in Miami.

For the 2018-2019 season, Broadway generated $ 1.8 billion in revenue and brought in 14.8 million spectators, according to figures from the professional organization Broadway League. And for the first week of March, revenues had exceeded $ 26 million.

After having resisted all drastic measures for a long time, the "city that never sleeps", one of the first tourist destinations in the world, is also forced to put itself in the hour of a reduced social life.

On Wednesday evening, the city had already announced the postponement of its traditional Saint Patrick's Day parade, a big popular festival that honors Americans of Irish origin and usually brings together some 2 million people. It was to take place on March 17.

Saint Patrick's Day is traditionally a very festive event, accompanied by a high consumption of beers and other spirits.

This parade, which takes place on 5th Avenue, along Central Park, has been held annually since 1762, according to the organizers' website, even during the wars.

- "Don't panic" -

Other cultural institutions have announced that they are closing their doors, starting with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest of New York's museums.

"Even if we have not had any confirmed cases in connection with the Museum, we believe that we must do everything we can to guarantee a safe and healthy environment for the population, which requires at this stage to minimize gatherings", a said Daniel Weiss, president of the large museum that borders Central Park, without giving a possible reopening date.

The prestigious Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic have also announced that they will cancel all performances until March 31.

Same thing for the Carnegie Hall shows, all canceled from Friday and until the end of the month.

Faced with these cancellations, which some have begun to compare to the shock of the attacks of September 11, 2001, several New Yorkers said Thursday prepare to live in slow motion, but without panic.

"I am sad but understanding," said Joe Brady, 64, who was to march in front of one of the St. Patrick's Day parades. "I think the situation will improve faster than the forecasts say."

"I’ve already cut back on a lot of my outings," said freelance filmmaker Gregory Orr, "I stocked up on some toilet paper, a little food - just in case my wife or I fell ill and we can't go out. "

"But it's not panic zombies. New York is a very good place to be in an emergency, it knows how to defend itself," he added.

© 2020 AFP