As of 11 am Beijing time on Feb 24th, China reported total 77.262 cases include Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan which means that cases figures have stagnated over the last days. No new cases reported from 24 provinces in the past 24 hours.
Outside of China, 28 countries reported COVID-19 cases, including in two new countries (Lebanon and Israel) which reported cases on 22 February, while cases in South Korea and Italy have rapidly increased over the past weekend.
As a result, the South Korean government has raised the country’s disease alert level to its highest with all schools delayed to open on 9 March. Hospitals’ and clinics’ operating hours have been affected including Emergency Rooms or outpatient departments. Some had been closed but reportedly reopened. As the situation keeps developing, Euro-Center recommends travellers and residents to contact us in case of medical emergencies or other inquires.
The United States State Department has raised a warning in its travel advisory to South Korea, while the United Kingdom has also advised against all but essential travel to Daegu and Cheongdo, the two worst affected areas.
In Italy’s Lodi Province local authorities are now advising residents of several urban areas including Codogno, Castiglione d’Adda and Casalpusterlengo to stay at home. Public areas such as bars, banks, schools and municipal offices have been closed as a precaution, and some train services have been suspended.
Travel restriction remains with more countries with the following information:

• Countries advising against all travel to China:
  Australia, Georgia, Jamaica, Kuwait, Mozambique, New Zealand, South Korea, United States
• Countries advising against non-essential travel to China:
  All Schengen countries, Bahrain, Canada, India, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Oman, Palau (HK, Macau), Russia, South Korea (the SK government is also asking citizens to refrain from trips to countries in Southeast Asia), Taiwan, United Kingdom (the UK is advising citizens to leave China if they can), Singapore, St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Countries advising against (non-essential) travel to South Korea: United States, United Kingdom
• Flight cancellations to China: Majority of international airlines have cancelled all flights to China, Chinese airlines continue to operate limited schedules.
• Countries denying entry if:
  i. Recently been to China:
  Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain (including SARs), Bangladesh (including SARs), Belize, Cook Islands, Egypt (will impose quarantine), El Salvador (Chinese nationals), Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait (including SARs), Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, N Korea, Philippines (including SARs), Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, Trinidad & T, US, Vietnam
  ii. Travelling directly from China: Gabon, India, Iraq, Jamaica, New Zealand, Samoa, Vietnam.
  iii. Travelling from South Korea: Israel, Bahrain, Jordan, Kiribati, Samoa and American Samoa
  iv. Visited Hubei Province: Bhutan, Brunei, Ethiopia, Japan (also includes those arriving from Zhejiang), Macau, Malaysia, South Korea.

We would like to remind you of some basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections:

• Avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections;
• Practice frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment;
• Wear a mask while at crowded places such as railway stations and airports to reduce the risk of droplet infection;
• Avoid unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.