State Department Warns Americans Not to Travel Abroad Amid CCP Virus Outbreak

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks as State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus listens during a news briefing at the State Department in Washington on Feb. 25, 2020. Alex Wong/Getty Images

The U.S. Department of State warned American citizens not to travel abroad over the CCP virus pandemic, issuing its top-level travel alert.

The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

The agency sent out a “Level 4: do not travel” advisory, recommending “U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.”

“In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period,” the alert read. U.S. citizens living abroad should also avoid international travel.

“Many countries are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and implementing travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines, closing borders, and prohibiting non-citizens from entry with little advance notice,” the alert read. “Airlines have canceled many international flights and several cruise operators have suspended operations or canceled trips. If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe,” it continued.

The agency last week raised the alert to “Level 3: reconsider travel” over the pandemic.

Cemetery workers and funeral agency workers in protective masks transport a coffin of a person who died from COVID-19 into a cemetery in Bergamo, Italy, March 16, 2020. Reuters/Flavio Lo Scalzo/File Photo

And March 14, the State Department authorized the departure of U.S. personnel and family members at diplomatic posts who are at risk of contracting the CCP virus.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week told Fox News that his department is doing everything possible to protect U.S. citizens around the world amid the pandemic.

“We know of students that are in Peru, some other travelers that are there as well. There are other countries, too, where those countries have shut down their airports,” he told Fox’s Sean Hannity. “We are working to try and solve problems for each of those American citizens. We just learned about them over the last couple days; it'll take us some amount of time. But know that President Trump has made clear that we’re going to do everything we can to get every American home safely.”

The Peruvian government on Monday set up a two-week quarantine across the nation to close all travel, including airports. U.S. nationals in the country said they only got the alert at the last minute and are unable to leave.

Before the pandemic, the State Department only issued a Level 4 travel advisory to several countries with instability problems, including Syria, Iran, Yemen, and North Korea.