Japanese Foreign Ministry Urges Citizens To Avoid Traveling To China

Japanese Foreign Ministry Urges Citizens to Avoid Traveling to China

The Japanese Foreign Ministry has increased the alert level for the whole of China amid the spread of the new coronavirus and urged nationals to avoid any non-urgent travel to China

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st January, 2020) The Japanese Foreign Ministry has increased the alert level for the whole of China amid the spread of the new coronavirus and urged nationals to avoid any non-urgent travel to China.

The Foreign Ministry previously urged citizens to avoid traveling to China's Hubei province, where the new virus was first detected, and increased the alert for the province to third level of its four-tiered classification system.

"The alert has been increased to the second level for the entire territory except for Hubei province. Avoid trips without urgent necessity. There is a possibility of an even greater spread of the virus, so keep an eye out for new information and take measures to avoid infection," the statement said.

The new deadly strain of coronavirus was first detected in December in China's Wuhan and has since spread to 19 countries, including Japan. The epidemic has already left 213 people dead and 9,692 infected in China.