China's National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing Sunday announced cancelling all the performances scheduled for March as an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. People can have their tickets refunded before June 30. 

Moreover, all public visits to the NCPA during the next month have also been cancelled, according to NCPA's official website.

Earlier this week, Shanghai Grand Theater also announced the cancellation of all performances scheduled for March.

Theaters have been worst hit by the novel coronavirus as this art medium requires physical presence of the audience. About 20,000 performances have been canceled or postponed in the season of spring, a report from National Business Daily said. Chinese iconic singer Andy Lau canceled 24 concerts from February to May in many cities across the country.

"We estimated that our company will lose over six million yuan during these two or three months as we have to cancel at least five or six performances," the report quoted Zeng Lv, founder of Crazy Theater, as saying.