'No Time to Die' Chinese press tour cancelled over COVID-19

Los Angeles, Feb 17 (IANS) James Bond's latest "No Time to Die" will not go ahead with the Chinese press tour and premiere as it has been scrapped due to the coronavirus epidemic.

"No Time to Die" was set to premiere in Beijing in April 2020, but the event and a subsequent tour of the nation have been cancelled following Chinese officials' decision to close 70,000 cinemas in an effort to halt the spread of the disease, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The latest Bond film -- Daniel Craig's last -- will open in North America on April 10.

China's National Health Commission on Monday reported 70,548 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,770 deaths, with 10,844 people discharged from hospital.

In the 24 hours until midnight on Sunday, 2,048 new cases and 105 new deaths had been recorded over the previous day.