(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The United States Department of State raised its China travel advisory to “Level 4: Do Not Travel” Thursday night, citing the coronavirus outbreak.
This comes after the World Health Organization declared the rapidly spreading disease as a global health emergency.
Authorities say travelers should expect restrictions to be put in place with little or no advance notice. Some commercial airlines and cruise lines have already suspended routes to and from China.
The state department says travelers currently in China should consider leaving the country “using commercial means” and has requested that “all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel to China.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning for all of China.
In an effort to contain the coronavirus, Chinese authorities have reportedly suspended air, road, and rail travel in the area around Wuhan and placed restrictions on travel and other activities throughout the country.
The U.S. government says it has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Hubei province.
