US Issues 'Japan Travel Alert'... Korea Classified as 'Community Spread Country'

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reportedly issued a 'Level 1 Travel Alert' for Japan on the 21st in relation to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to local media on the day, Japan is the second country after Hong Kong to receive a travel alert from the U.S. besides mainland China, the origin of COVID-19. It is the first time a travel alert has been issued for a country outside the Greater China region. A Level 1 Travel Alert corresponds to a 'practice usual precautions' level, which is a lower 'caution' level than a recommendation to cancel travel.

On the 27th of last month, the CDC upgraded the travel alert for mainland China to the highest Level 3 'Warning,' which advises avoiding non-essential travel.

Separately, the U.S. Department of State has issued the highest Level 4 'Do Not Travel' alert for mainland China.

The CDC has added South Korea to the list of 'countries with community spread.' Although no travel alert has been issued yet, it is a candidate for travel alert designation depending on the situation. The countries classified as having community spread include mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea, totaling seven countries.

Meanwhile, as of the afternoon of the same day, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea was counted at 204, an increase of 100 from the previous day. The number of confirmed cases nearly doubled in one day.