As of February 27, more than 31,500 cases of coronavirus
have been confirmed around the world.
Starting in Wuhan, China, the virus has rampantly spread to
other parts of Asia, Europe and the U.S leading to more than 600 deaths.
As a result, flights and cruises have cancelled their routes
and cities are under quarantine. Here is everything you need to know about
traveling while coronavirus spreads, courtesy of Travelandleisure.com.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a specific strain of coronavirus called 2019
Novel Coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV. It was first discovered in December 2019 in
Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
“Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing
illness in people and others that circulate among animals, including camels,
cats and bats,” according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). And
2019-nCoV is the most recent “novel” version found.
Both Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are caused by a coronavirus, but not the
strain that’s currently circulating.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
The first symptoms of coronavirus feel a lot like the flu.
“You’ll get a fever, cough — it’s primarily a lower respiratory virus — general
malaise, there may be some gastrointestinal distress,” Dr. Rebecca Katz, a
professor and the director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security
at Georgetown University, recently told Travel + Leisure. When complications of
the virus occur, patients could develop pneumonia or kidney-related issues,
which could lead to death.
What should you do to prevent coronavirus?
You can protect yourself from catching coronavirus the same
way you’d protect yourself from catching any other virus. Wash your hands
regularly, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and be sure to
thoroughly cook all meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with people you may see
coughing or sneezing.
Which countries are impacted by coronavirus?
As the virus has affected the world, professors from Johns
Hopkins University have developed a real-time map to track confirmed cases of
coronavirus as it spreads.
Conditions in Wuhan, where the virus was first detected were
likened to a wartime scenario this week. The city has been completely
quarantined from the rest of China, with transportation links cut. Streets and
shelves are empty as residents are urged to go outside only for essential
supplies. There have also been two makeshift hospitals put in place to
accommodate all patients.
While museums are closed until further notice, China’s
National Cultural Heritage Administration has put much of its collection online
for visitors to peruse.
The region of Macau has completely shut down for two weeks
and none of its famous casinos will be open.
The doctor who first discovered this strain of coronavirus
and alerted authorities, Li Wenliang, has died at age 34 of the disease. China
has launched an investigation into his death and as to why according to a
statement released by the official Xinhua news agency.
Taiwan announced Thursday it would no longer process online
or landing visas for citizens of Hong Kong or Macau. The suspension will
continue indefinitely.
In Japan, a total of 25 cases of coronavirus have been
confirmed. It is the most affected country outside of China; however, no deaths
have been reported. Japan’s response to the coronavirus outbreak has been laxer
than other countries. Tokyo has only imposed an entry ban for travelers who
have been to the Hubei Province within the last 14 days or those who have a
passport issued from Hubei. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was adamant that the
outbreak will not affect the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer.
The other most affected Asian countries are, in order,
Singapore, Thailand and South Korea.
Australia closed its borders to foreign arrivals who have
been in China within the past 14 days. Australians who are arriving home from
China are being met with additional health screenings. There have been 15
confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia.
Australia flew out 243 citizens who wished to leave Wuhan
and transferred them to quarantine on Christmas Island in an immigration
detention center, according to the New York Times.
The U.S. has confirmed a total of 12 coronavirus cases since
the outbreak The borders have been closed to anyone who has been in China
within the last 14 days. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now
requires airlines to ask passengers on inbound flights if they have visited
mainland China in the past 14 days.
If they have, they are rerouted to screening centers at one
of several airports around the country, including New York JFK and Los Angeles
International. If passengers show no symptoms during their enhanced screening,
they are rebooked to their final destination — although they are asked to
self-quarantine for 14 days.
How are airlines responding?
Airlines around the world have halted service to mainland
China amid warnings from the World Health Organization.
In a statement, Lufthansa Group (including Austrian Airlines
and SWISS) said they will not accept new bookings to China through the end of
February, however the airlines will continue to operate flights to Hong Kong.
British Airways announced an “immediate” suspension of flights to mainland
China. Reuters reported that there are no flights available to China with the
airline through the end of February. Air Canada has also temporarily suspended
flights to Beijing and Shanghai.
United, American and Delta have all suspended their service
to China, citing low demand. The longest of these cancellations is with Delta,
who have suspended mainland China service until April 30.
All airlines will continue to monitor the situation and could
change their schedules should there be any change in the situation in China.
Many airlines are still operating flights to Hong Kong. Travelers should
contact their airline directly for more information.
Airlines are also looking out for their employees as flight
attendants on Cathay Pacific were first told to wear masks while working and
have now been asked to take three weeks of unpaid leave between March 1 and the
end of June, due to a “significant” drop in demand for flights.
Thai Airways is practicing extreme precautions as they are
spraying down cabins with a disinfectant after each flight.
How are cruises responding?
While cruise lines have released their own safety in how
they’re handling the outbreak, isolated incidents have occurred on various
ships.
At the time of this writing, at least 61 passengers on a
Japanese cruise ship have been diagnosed with coronavirus. The ship was
initially quarantined when an 80-year-old passenger boarded in the Japanese
port of Yokohama after having been diagnosed. Sickened passengers have been
transported to a hospital on the mainland for treatment.
A ship in Italy couldn’t offload passengers last week for
fear that two of them had contracted the virus.
On Friday, February 7, a Royal Caribbean cruise docked in Bayonne,
N.J. — 20 miles away New York City — with passengers that will be assessed for
coronavirus as they deboard. Four passengers have been sent to the hospital,
according to NorthJersey.com.
Should I cancel my trip because of the coronavirus
outbreak?
Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department issued a Level
4 — its highest level — warning, notifying Americans not to travel to China.
The CDC also issued a warning against all nonessential travel to China.
However, this does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
The State Department hasn’t issued any health-related travel
advisories against any other Asian countries.
To ensure any upcoming travel plans, calling your hotel and
airline directly as well as monitoring updates and alerts will give you the current
information.
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