Updated March 22, 2020 10:55:02

Paris, New York, Bangkok and Rome — when you hear these names, the words noisy, busy and alive come to mind.

But as countries have closed museums, tourist attractions and sporting events to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission, cities and towns have fallen quiet.

With people shut indoors as they wait for things to return to normal, some streets are now nearly deserted.

These photos show just how the world has changed in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

In North America

Photo: New York's Times Square is usually packed, but after Trump announced restrictive measures, it was nearly empty. (Reuters: Jeenah Moon)

With US President Donald Trump implementing a number of restrictive measures this week, some American cities have become noticeably quieter.

In New York, Times Square is no longer teeming with people. Instead some roads are empty and footpaths quiet.

Photo: Nearly deserted streets are becoming increasingly common in cities around the world. (Supplied)

One resident told the ABC they had never seen the city so still.

Photo: With people being urged to stay inside and work from home, New York's busy streets now lie empty. (Supplied)

It's a similar picture in San Francisco.

As part of a "safer-at-home" mandate, Southern California has ordered more than 10 million people to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave.

It means many residents are stuck inside and can only venture out for necessities.

Photo: Millions of people have been told to stay home and stay put except to go out for groceries or to care for others. (AP: Jeff Chiu)

In Europe

The World Health Organisation has declared Europe the pandemic's current epicentre, with the continent reporting more cases and deaths than the rest of world combined.

Photo: It is rare to see the area around Rome's Trevi Fountain empty. (Reuters: Alberto Lingria)

In Rome, the area surrounding the Trevi Fountain appeared to be largely clear in recent days despite being one of the world's busiest tourist hotspots.

With the death toll in Italy now higher than China's, and the number of infections continuing to grow, the city's tourism industry has been severely impacted.

Hotels are reporting mass cancellations even in cities with few or no cases of the virus.

Over in Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum and the Moulin Rouge cabaret have closed their doors.

Photo: With the Louvre closed, the area surrounding it has been deserted. (Reuters: Christian Hartmann)

And in London, strict measures mean the streets are noticeably more bare.

Take, for example, this photo of Westminster Bridge which has been all but cleared of people.

Photo: Even London's streets have been cleared during the pandemic. (AP: Kirsty Wigglesworth)

In Asia

Photo: The Church of the Nativity was closed as a preventive measure in Bethlehem. (AP: Majdi Mohammed)

In the Middle East, Palestinian authorities have closed the Church of the Nativity, built atop the spot where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.

Images of the area surrounding the famous site show many have heeded warnings and are maintaining social distancing.

Photo: It's now not unusual to see an empty terminal in Bangkok's airport. (Reuters: Soe Zeya Tun)

In Bangkok, it is now not uncommon to see empty arrivals terminals despite it being a popular holiday destination.

Photo: The streets of India are being sprayed with disinfectant to combat the spread of coronavirus. (Reuters: Danish Ismail)

And in India, the Taj Mahal is closed, and according to Reuters, the financial hub of Mumbai has ordered offices providing non-essential services to keep half their staff at home.

In Australia

Photo: The Sydney Opera House and its surrounds are nearly empty amid the pandemic. (Reuters: Loren Elliott)

On Friday, the Government introduced more measures to thin crowds in Australia's bars, restaurants and other indoor venues.

This was on top of a pre-existing ban on more than 500 people at outdoor events and more than 100 people indoors.

As a result, restaurants near the Sydney Opera House, one of the country's most famous landmarks, are empty, with residents and tourists staying away.

However, the order to avoid mass gatherings has not been followed completely, forcing authorities to also close Bondi Beach after crowds of people showed up at the location on Friday.

In South America

Photo: Coronavirus measures have begun to affect daily life in Venezuela. (AP: Ariana Cubillos)

The number of coronavirus cases in Latin America has not reached the levels seen in Europe, but even there you can see the impact of coronavirus restrictions.

Earlier this week Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro announced the whole country would be placed under quarantine following a spike in new cases.

In the capital, Caracas, locals are required to go through a decontamination chamber before entering a popular market, in a bid to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Photo: Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue was lit up with the word Asia in support of those affected by COVID-19. (AP: Silvia Izquierdo)

Brazil has the highest number of confirmed cases in the region and has begun closing almost all of its land borders to visitors.

But the restrictions have been seen as relatively weak compared to other Latin American nations. Americans, for example, are still allowed in but citizens of the EU, China, Japan, Australia, Malaysia and South Korea are barred from entering the country.

In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, authorities have stopped public events.

Topics: covid-19, world-politics, epidemics-and-pandemics, epidemiology, respiratory-diseases, diseases-and-disorders, health, australia, asia, european-union, italy, france, united-states

First posted March 22, 2020 10:01:42