All “non-essential” travel to and around China is to be avoided.
The Department of Health have updated their travel advice for those heading to or around China, stating that “We advise you to avoid non-essential travel to China.”
Just one day after the first confirmed death due to the coronavirus has been reported outside of China, the Department of Health have issued the following advisory:
“Travel within the province has become tightly controlled and all tourist facilities have been closed. Under these circumstances, Irish citizens are advised not to travel to the province of Hubei.
“Regarding the remainder of mainland China, the situation remains very fluid and it is likely that increasing containment measures will be deployed by the Chinese Government. In this environment, the advice of the Department is to avoid non-essential travel to and within China.
“Citizens with underlying medical conditions should not travel to China at this time. If your continued presence in China is not essential, the Department advises citizens to contact their travel agency or airlines regarding available routes out before any further restrictions may be imposed.”
The Guardian have reported that the UK government have issued a similar advisory to their citizens, as the death toll in China from the virus has increased to 425, and confirmed cases have passed 20,000. The mortality rate currently stands at 2.1%.
At the moment, the World Health Organisation have not designated it a pandemic, with Dr. Sylvie Briand, the head of WHO’s global infectious hazard preparedness, stating:
“Currently we are not in a pandemic. We are at the phase where it is an epidemic with multiple foci, and we try to extinguish the transmission in each of these foci.”
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