The deadly coronavirus (officially termed COVID-19) has beenrapidly spreading through mainland Chinaand other parts of Asia over the last month. But in the past week,a number of new cases have emergedfar from the outbreak’s epicenter, in countries including Italy, South Korea and Iran.
In a little over seven days, Italy went from havingjust three confirmed cases of coronavirusto 1,577 cases as of Monday, March 2. They’re largely centered in the northern Lombardy region, which contains the major manufacturing city and tourist hub of Milan.
New cases of COVID-19 have been reported in several other European Union countries: Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Spain, according toThe New York Times.
As the threat in popular vacation destinations for Americans continues to grow, PEOPLE spoke to a travel expert about the safety of visiting Europe in the midst of the crisis, and what tourists should know.
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What should you know if you have plans to travel to Europe this spring?
The decision to travel amid the outbreak is not an easy one to make, and should be taken seriously, especially if you or your vacation companions are pregnant, elderly, or suffer from conditions that may impact the immune system.
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Should you immediately cancel your travel plans?
It is important to remain calm and level-headed, and when in doubt, take extra precautions and stay safe.
Is there a way you can stay safe while traveling?
The majority of coronavirus cases are in mainland China,spreading outward from Hubei province, the epicenter of the disease.As of March 2, there have been nearly 90,000 cases and 3,000 deaths worldwide.
Regardless of whether you’re traveling or staying home, there are a few basic practices to remember, including avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes and/or nose, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and staying home if you yourself feel ill.
Be cautious of your surroundings, andwash your hands frequently.
Should you wear a face mask while traveling?
Despite manycelebrities recently documenting their face masks while traveling, right now the CDC is not suggesting them to people who are not sick.
Gwyneth Paltrow/Instagram; Kate Hudson/Instagram
“While it is cold and flu season, we don’t routinely recommend the use of face masks in the general public to prevent respiratory illness, and we certainly are not recommending that at this time for this new virus,” said Dr. Nancy Messonier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC in a press briefing.
In what areas of the world is the coronavirus currently found?
On Feb. 22, Italy, South Korea and Iran reported an alarming number of infected citizens, totaling in the hundreds. Prior to that, the vast majority of new coronavirus cases had occurred in mainland China.
As of Wednesday,the U.S. has had 53 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Of those, 12 cases occurred in people who recently returned from trips to China before news of the outbreak spread. In two cases, the illness was contracted from close contact with an infected individual.
The total number of cases globally has reached 80,980, with nearly 3,000 deaths, according toTimes.
source: people.com
