Coronavirus outbreak prompts CDC to update China travel recommendations
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday announced its updated travel recommendations for China amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus.
In a statement provided to Fox News, the federal health agency said it is now recommending that travelers “avoid all nonessential travel" to all of China in response to the outbreak, which has killed some 106 people and sickened thousands of others worldwide. At least five cases have also been confirmed in the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The warning, a Level 3 travel health notice, had been updated from a Level 2, in which the CDC recommended travelers “practice enhanced precautions.”
If people must travel to China, the CDC recommends the following:
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Discuss travel to China with your healthcare provider. Older adults and travelers with underlying health issues may be at risk for more severe disease.
- Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
The news comes after the U.S. State Department on Monday urged Americans to reconsider traveling to Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. It also said it has ordered the departure of all non-emergency U.S. personnel and their families out of the country.
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The travel advisory increase from Level 2 to Level 3 comes as Chinese authorities continue to impose quarantines and travel restrictions in and around Wuhan.
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.