Japan asks citizens to avoid non-essential travel to China amid coronavirus threat

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the new coronavirus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), Japan has advised its citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to China. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe informed that Japan has raised the travel warning for China to a level two, on its four-point warning system, urging people to ‘avoid travel that is not urgent or is not necessary’.

The United States has already raised its travel advisory to level 4, asking its citizens to not travel at all. The US State Department advised its nationals, currently in China, to consider departing using commercial means. It also requested all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel to China in light of the novel coronavirus. 

“Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.  Commercial carriers have reduced or suspended routes to and from China,” said the department in a statement.

Read: China: Dead Body Found On Empty Street Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak

India ready to evacuate nationals

Meanwhile, the Government of India has also requested to operate two aircraft to China to evacuate Indian nationals from Hubei province. Speaking at the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the government is waiting for formal approval from the Chinese side after which the evacuation will start. According to media reports, an Air India special B747 flight is kept ready for evacuating Indian citizens from Wuhan city in China.

Kumar said that the government has been conducting a regular review of the situation arising due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus in China. “We have established contacts with over 600 Indians living in coronavirus-hit Hubei province in China,” added Kumar saying they have asked Indians in living in Hubei Province whether they want to return to India.

Read: US Raises Travel Advisory Over Coronavirus; Asks Citizens To Not Travel To China

Counselor Ji Rong, the spokesperson to the Chinese Embassy in India, said that it has maintained close communication with the Indian government and timely briefed on the development of the epidemic. Rong said that the Chinese side is playing close attention to the report of the emergence of one confirmed case of coronavirus in India.

Read: Kerala To Launch Awareness Campaign After Positive Case Of Novel Coronavirus Detected

Read: 'Vietnam Is Tackling The Rampant Respiratory Disease Coronavirus Well', Assures PM Phuc

(With PTI Inputs)