Passenger flows were dramatically down in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, during the Spring Festival holidays, mainly affected by the spread of novel coronavirus, according to the local transportation authority.

Guangzhou, traditionally known as one of the busiest transportation hubs in South China during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, saw 146,000 outbound passengers during the period as of Friday, down 81.9 percent year-on-year according to the local office responsible for the Spring Festival travel rush.

Arrivals to the southern Chinese city, on the other hand, were down 69.1 percent year-on-year to 236,000 passengers, according to the office.

Guangzhou railways handled 90,000 passengers, down 79.7 percent compared with the same period last year, while arrivals were down 69.6 percent year-on-year to 195,000.

Due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the commanding office of prevention and control of the disease for Guangdong has urged workers in seriously-affected areas to delay returns to the province.

Specifically, people who are still in hardest-hit Hubei province have been urged not to return to Guangdong, according to the office.