US Declares Emergency Over Novel Coronavirus and Bans Entry of Travelers from China

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The U.S. government has declared a public health emergency related to the novel coronavirus and decided to prohibit entry of foreign visitors who may potentially spread the infection.

According to AP News and others, on the 31st (local time), Alex Azar, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services leading the U.S. government's novel coronavirus response task force (TF), announced that President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning entry into the U.S. of foreign nationals who have traveled to China within the past two weeks. This measure will take effect from 5 p.m. on the 2nd.

The executive order allows U.S. citizens to enter even if they have traveled to China, but they must undergo infection testing and self-quarantine. If they have visited Hubei Province, the origin of the novel coronavirus, they will be quarantined for two weeks upon entry. This also applied to the 195 U.S. citizens who returned from Wuhan on a chartered flight earlier.

Regarding the declaration of a public health emergency in the U.S., Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), explained, "The likelihood of a novel coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. is low, but the international situation is serious."

Currently, the number of novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. stands at six.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.