Chinese officials in a village near Chengdu used UAVs to ask people not to gather to play mahjong due to concerns about corona virus infection.

A video posted on Weibo over the weekend showed a group of people playing mahjong in a village near southwest of Chengdu that was spotted by a small drone (UAV).

"Mahjong is banned in the context of the outbreak. Everyone has been detected. Please stop and leave here as soon as possible," a local official warned by the speaker using a group of players.

"Don't kids look here, tell your dad to go home now," the official added when he saw a curious boy looking up at the UAV. Those who play mahjong then quickly clean up and disperse.

The majority of Chinese social network users are interested in this video. "You have to be that hard! High technology improves our lives a lot," a Weibo user commented.

Chinese media earlier also posted a video of a drone reminding people not to wear masks on the streets. This measure is considered by many Chinese as innovative and effective in raising the awareness of epidemic prevention.

The Chinese government has urged people to stay home and try to avoid crowding to prevent the spread of the new strain of corona virus (nCoV) that causes acute pneumonia. Many cinemas, restaurants and public entertainment venues have been closed amidst an outbreak.

The outbreak of acute pneumonia caused by nCoV in Wuhan City began in December 2019, spreading to 31 provinces and cities in China. The number of deaths due to the epidemic has increased to 362, including 361 in China, and the number of cases has also reached more than 17,000.

Countries with nCoV-infected patients. Click on the image to see details.