the coronavirus crisis
Amid coronavirus outbreak, CDC tells Americans to avoid nonessential travel to South Korea
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its South Korea travel advisory to its highest level as coronavirus cases continue to rise in the country.
The CDC is warning Americans against nonessential travel to the country, saying, "There is a widespread, ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that can be spread from person to person. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions may be at risk of severe disease." The advisory also states that there is "limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas."
There are now 893 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in South Korea. Most of the cases are in and around Daegu, South Korea's fourth-largest city. About half of the patients are members of Shincheonji, a controversial religious organization that believes its leader is the second coming of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, the South Korean government ordered a temporary shutdown of the church, in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading to more people.