‘Reconsider travel’: US advises Americans against traveling to China as first death from coronavirus confirmed in Beijing

The US has urged citizens to “reconsider” traveling to China in the State Department's newest advisory, amid the ongoing deadly coronavirus outbreak as another person fell victim to the disease in the Chinese capital of Beijing.

The travel advisory warns Americans about an “increased risk” of infection and explicitly calls on them not to travel to the Hubei province – the source of the outbreak that was essentially quarantined by the Chinese authorities. It also said that all non-emergency US personnel and their family members were ordered to leave the troubled province last week, thus confirming earlier media reports. 

Further advice to those who would still travel to China despite the warnings includes such recommendations as avoiding contact with sick people as well as any animals, animal markets, and animal products such as uncooked meat.

The advisory comes as China’s capital of Beijing confirmed its first death from the deadly respiratory disease, caused by the novel coronavirus named 2019-nCoV, bringing the total death toll in the country to 82. Hundreds of new infections are also confirmed every day and the number of cases confirmed countrywide has surpassed 2,800.

The virus has already spread beyond China’s borders, with cases confirmed in 15 countries including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia as well as France, Canada and the US itself. Chinese authorities recently revealed that the disease can spread before any symptoms could be detected, sparking concerns among some US doctors.

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