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Go or No Go? US Updates Travel Advisories Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Nike Ching

   WASHINGTON - As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread
   across the globe and countries are reporting new confirmed cases, the
   United States is closely monitoring and updating travel advisories.
   The State Department says when it comes to issuing a travel alert for
   Americans traveling abroad, it takes into account health risks,
   including current disease outbreaks or a crisis that disrupts a
   country's medical infrastructure, as well as the issuance of a travel
   notice by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

   There are four travel advisory levels: Level 4--do not travel; Level
   3--reconsider travel; Level 2--exercise increased caution; and Level
   1--exercise normal precautions.
   On Feb. 26, the State Department raised the travel advisory to level
   3--reconsider travel--on South Korea. The change comes after the CDC
   issued a Level 3 travel warning for people to avoid non-essential
   travel for South Korea, and after a U.S. soldier there tested positive
   for coronavirus.
   The U.S. is [1]asking travelers who spent time in South Korea during
   the past 14 days and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty
   breathing to seek medical advice, and also to avoid contact with
   others.
   Also on Wednesday, while maintaining a Level 4 warning or 'do not
   travel' to Iran (due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest
   and detention of U.S. citizens), the State Department updated
   information amid more confirmed cases of coronavirus and deaths in that
   country.
   "Several countries have closed their borders with Iran and/or suspended
   air traffic to and from Iran. As a result, commercial travel to and
   from Iran may become severely limited with little or no notice,"
   [2]said the State Department.

References

   1. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthKorea.html
   2. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/iran-travel-advisory.html

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