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The Holy Mecca in Saudi Arabia is a site of monumental importance in Islam. The holy site, Kaaba, the cubic building which used to be surrounded by devotees offering prayers, now lies deserted.

Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that mosques would no longer accept worshippers for the customary five daily prayers or the weekly Friday prayer, exceptional measures intended to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

The crowd, however, has reduced and only a small number of worshippers are performing the ritual called ‘Tawaf’ where they circumambulate the Kaaba.

Italy is one of the countries besides Iran and South Korea that is the worst affected by the pandemic. The country is in a state of lockdown and most are quarantined in their homes.

For the unversed, the city of Venice is known for the popular gondola rides and its canals. A Twitter user recently posted the images of swans which have returned to the canals in the wake of reduction in traffic.

The user also shared images of ducks making an appearance in the fountains of Rome and have found a new home.

The iconic New York Times square is known for its giant hoardings, billboards and gigantic displays. It is often thronged by a large number of tourists and New Yorkers, but amid the COVID-19 outbreak, it lies deserted.

The images look eerie particularly because New York, known as the ‘city that never sleeps’, seems to have come to a halt.

The Big Apple is also known for its nightlife, bars and restaurants, which also seem to have come to a standstill.

The epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan, lies deserted even after 3 months of the outbreak. Over the last few days, drone footage from the Chinese province has surfaced, which shows the virtually empty town, with deserted streets and markets.

The scary images seem to be taken from a dystopian film and shows how the lines between the real and the reel are often blurred.

India, too, has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic with over 166 cases and 3 deaths reported. Maharashtra, which has the highest number of cases, is also the home to Siddhivinayak Temple, which is usually crowded with devotees.

However, recently, a large number of police personnel have been deployed at the temple and the entry to the temple has been shut.

European countries, including the UK have been severely affected by the pandemic. As the authorities consider partial lockdown in London, the city and its iconic bridges no longer witness the same footfall.

The Tower bridge and Millennium Bridge lie deserted with virtually no people.