New York is turned into a virtual ghost town as people stay indoors and off the subway

New York City has been turned into a virtual ghost town as the coronavirus takes hold with the city’s residents listening to government’s advice to practice social distancing.

Public spaces that are usually packed with people including thousands of tourists have been left deserted. 

With Broadway shows shuttered, Times Square appeared eerily quiet, while Grand Central Terminal saw a massive drop in commuters as workers decided to telework and stay at home. 

The city is only going to get quieter in the coming days as the city’s schools are shut down from Monday while the majority of the city’s bars and restaurant will close along with movie theaters as well.

The only cars on this Manhattan street are parked up. Even an apartment swimming pool is deserted on a mild spring day

Empty streets are seen in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus in New York City

Empty streets are seen in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus in New York City

New York State had 729 confirmed coronavirus cases. Three people have died and 329 people have tested positive in the city

New York State had 729 confirmed coronavirus cases. Three people have died and 329 people have tested positive in the city

Visitors walk past the Vessel in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus

Visitors walk past the Vessel in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus

Temporary closed signage is seen at a store in Manhattan following the outbreak

Temporary closed signage is seen at a store in Manhattan following the outbreak

Normally busy tourist hotspots are eerily quiet as tourists stay away and locals stay indoors

Normally busy tourist hotspots are eerily quiet as tourists stay away and locals stay indoors

An empty restaurant is seen in Manhattan as many venues closed their doors temporarily as the outbreak spreads

An empty restaurant is seen in Manhattan as many venues closed their doors temporarily as the outbreak spreads

Normally busy avenues are seemingly abandoned as citizens stay off the streets as fear of the coronavirus takes hold

Normally busy avenues are seemingly abandoned as citizens stay off the streets as fear of the coronavirus takes hold

Empty streets are seen near Lincoln Tunnel in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus

Empty streets are seen near Lincoln Tunnel in Manhattan following the outbreak of coronavirus

Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan was mostly clear of traffic on Sunday. The World Health Organization declared coronavirus a global pandemic last Wednesday

Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan was mostly clear of traffic on Sunday. The World Health Organization declared coronavirus a global pandemic last Wednesday

People walk past the closed New York Public Library main branch on Fifth Avenue

People walk past the closed New York Public Library main branch on Fifth Avenue

New York City has turned into a ghost town as Times Square, Broadway and trains are left practically empty

New York City has turned into a ghost town as Times Square, Broadway and trains are left practically empty

People take a photo in an empty Rockefeller Plaza, which is usually bustling with life on a regular weekend

People take a photo in an empty Rockefeller Plaza, which is usually bustling with life on a regular weekend

Empty streets seem to be becoming the norm as people start to stay indoors and not gather in crowds

Empty streets seem to be becoming the norm as people start to stay indoors and not gather in crowds

The usually hubbub of New York is down to that of a village as people stay off the city's streets

The usually hubbub of New York is down to that of a village as people stay off the city’s streets

Shelves in many supermarkets were empty of fresh and packaged produce, looking as though they had been ransacked. 

The MTA announced Friday that ridership was down 19 percent, while the LIRR was down more than 30 percent.

The only exception was at New York supermarkets, where hundreds of people were seen lining up before store opening to stock up on groceries amid coronavirus social distancing and quarantine advisories.

The Big Apple, usually buzzing with traffic and tourists, has transformed into a shockingly silent city as many workers have been ordered to work from home and some business have temporarily shut down.  

The state reported that the number of coronavirus cases surged from 421 on Friday to 729 on Sunday, with 329 of those cases in New York City.  

A sign explains the closure of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday in New York City

A sign explains the closure of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday in New York City

People hoping to attend Sunday Mass are met with the closure of St. Patrick's Cathedral

People hoping to attend Sunday Mass are met with the closure of St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Pedestrian traffic is light through Grand Central Terminal on Sunday. Even for a weekend morning, it is particularly quiet

Pedestrian traffic is light through Grand Central Terminal on Sunday. Even for a weekend morning, it is particularly quiet

A person walks through Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan with barely another soul in sight

A person walks through Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan with barely another soul in sight

The Oculus transportation hub in Lower Manhattan is mostly devoid of commuters and tourists

The Oculus transportation hub in Lower Manhattan is mostly devoid of commuters and tourists

New York's bustling avenues are empty of both cars and people, seen on Sunday

New York’s bustling avenues are empty of both cars and people, seen on Sunday 

An empty restaurant is seen in the Fulton Center station in Lower Manhattan

An empty restaurant is seen in the Fulton Center station in Lower Manhattan

Sanitizing products are seen at a store in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease

Sanitizing products are seen at a store in Manhattan borough following the outbreak of coronavirus disease

A worker sits in an empty store on Sunday in New York as the global pandemic takes hold

A worker sits in an empty store on Sunday in New York as the global pandemic takes hold

New Yorkers have also gone into a panic over stocking up on food, toilet paper and hand sanitizers as they prepare to bunker down as the government calls for ‘social distancing’. 

Many businesses have shut down in light of the outbreak and to prevent further spread of coronavirus.  

On Thursday, Broadway went dark for at least a month following the restrictions on public gatherings, hitting the theater industry hard.   

All 41 Broadway theaters have at least 500 seats with most accommodating more than 1,000. 

New York landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall also announced they would be suspending visits and performances. 

New York City has turned into a ghost town with typically-packed subways cars left completely empty and tourist-filled hot spots like Times Square and Central Park completely deserted. Empty Times Square is pictured above Thursday night

New York City has turned into a ghost town with typically-packed subways cars left completely empty and tourist-filled hot spots like Times Square and Central Park completely deserted. Empty Times Square is pictured above Thursday night 

The usually bustling Grand Central Terminal had notably few commuters and tourists on Friday evening

The usually bustling Grand Central Terminal had notably few commuters and tourists on Friday evening

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency last week, closing down Broadway and banning gatherings of more than 500 people. The shuttered Minskoff Theater pictured above

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency last week, closing down Broadway and banning gatherings of more than 500 people. The shuttered Minskoff Theater pictured above

On Thursday, Broadway went dark for at least a month following the restrictions on public gatherings, hitting the theater industry hard. All 41 Broadway theaters have at least 500 seats, in fact most accommodate over 1,000

On Thursday, Broadway went dark for at least a month following the restrictions on public gatherings, hitting the theater industry hard. All 41 Broadway theaters have at least 500 seats, in fact most accommodate over 1,000

The empty Hudson Yards train station in Manhattan pictured above

The empty Hudson Yards train station in Manhattan pictured above

In the US there are over 3,4300 cases of coronavirus and at least 63 deaths as of Sunday evening

In the US there are over 3,4300 cases of coronavirus and at least 63 deaths as of Sunday evening

This graph shows how the number of cases in the US of the virus have leaped from January to March

This graph shows how the number of cases in the US of the virus have leaped from January to March 

The subway system has seen a major plunge in riders. A view of the empty 15th Street Subway Station in Brooklyn pictured

The subway system has seen a major plunge in riders. A view of the empty 15th Street Subway Station in Brooklyn pictured

A rider wears a protective mask during a commute through Brooklyn on the Brighton Beach-bound B train on Friday

A rider wears a protective mask during a commute through Brooklyn on the Brighton Beach-bound B train on Friday 

Workers clean a subway station in Brooklyn as New York City confronts the coronavirus outbreak on March 11 

An M.T.A worker cleans down a turnstile as the coronavirus outbreak continued in Manhattan on Friday

An M.T.A worker cleans down a turnstile as the coronavirus outbreak continued in Manhattan on Friday

Airports were eerily deserted on Friday due to the limits on travel set by President Trump to combat the spread of the virus. View of Terminal 7 of the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Friday

Airports were eerily deserted on Friday due to the limits on travel set by President Trump to combat the spread of the virus. View of Terminal 7 of the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Friday

New Yorkers raided local groceries stores to stock up on food and toiletries as many have been ordered to work from home and to practice social distancing. An empty Trader Joes on 32nd Street in Manhattan pictured Friday

New Yorkers raided local groceries stores to stock up on food and toiletries as many have been ordered to work from home and to practice social distancing. An empty Trader Joes on 32nd Street in Manhattan pictured Friday

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket, Friday, in Larchmont, NY

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket, Friday, in Larchmont, NY

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket, Friday, in Larchmont, NY

Shoppers browse barren shelves at a supermarket, Friday, in Larchmont, NY

Volunteers pack free groceries for distribution to the elderly at Hope Community Services on Friday in New Rochelle

Volunteers pack free groceries for distribution to the elderly at Hope Community Services on Friday in New Rochelle

A person pictured in head to toe protective gear at a mobile coronavirus testing center in New Rochelle pictured Friday

A person pictured in head to toe protective gear at a mobile coronavirus testing center in New Rochelle pictured Friday 

A worker sweeps an empty courtyard outside the Lotte New York Palace hotel as the coronavirus outbreak continued to affect the tourism industry in Manhattan on Friday

A worker sweeps an empty courtyard outside the Lotte New York Palace hotel as the coronavirus outbreak continued to affect the tourism industry in Manhattan on Friday

The Central Park Zoo was practically empty on Friday. A few visitors pictured outside the sea lion enclosure

The Central Park Zoo was practically empty on Friday. A few visitors pictured outside the sea lion enclosure 

The usually bustling New York Public Library was practically deserted on Friday in New York

The usually bustling New York Public Library was practically deserted on Friday in New York 

There were no people outside the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side of the city

There were no people outside the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side of the city

New York landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall also announced they would be suspending visits and performances in addition to Broadway shutting down. An empty Broadway theater above

New York landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall also announced they would be suspending visits and performances in addition to Broadway shutting down. An empty Broadway theater above

The closed down Imperial Theater in Midtown which was showing the Temptations show Ain't Too Proud pictured Friday

The closed down Imperial Theater in Midtown which was showing the Temptations show Ain’t Too Proud pictured Friday

Times Square had notably less traffic and tourists on Friday after a state of emergency was declared

Times Square had notably less traffic and tourists on Friday after a state of emergency was declared

Souvenir stalls poked fun at the coronavirus crisis by covering mannequin faces with medical masks

Souvenir stalls poked fun at the coronavirus crisis by covering mannequin faces with medical masks

The shuttered Museum of Modoern Art pictured above on Friday

The shuttered Museum of Modoern Art pictured above on Friday 

Restaurants in New York are taking a major hit with many business closing down due to low business

Restaurants in New York are taking a major hit with many business closing down due to low business

While New York officials are urging the elderly and people with compromised immune systems to avoid large crowds, de Blasio told New Yorkers that if they feel healthy they should 'not avoid restaurants'. An empty restaurant in Manhattan pictured above

While New York officials are urging the elderly and people with compromised immune systems to avoid large crowds, de Blasio told New Yorkers that if they feel healthy they should ‘not avoid restaurants’. An empty restaurant in Manhattan pictured above