TRAVEL WARNING: US State Department issues 'do not travel' warning to China as coronavirus spreads

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The U.S. State Department has issued a "do not travel" warning to China as concerns grow over the coronavirus outbreak.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global emergency.

"Those currently in China should consider departing using commercial means. The Department of State has requested that all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel to China in light of the novel coronavirus," the State Department said in a travel advisory on Thursday night.

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China first informed WHO about cases of the new virus in late December. To date, China has reported more than 7,800 cases including 170 deaths. Eighteen other countries have since reported cases, as scientists race to understand how exactly the virus is spreading and how severe it is.

Meanwhile, the United States and South Korea confirmed their first cases of person-to-person spread of the coronavirus. The man in the U.S. is married to a 60-year-old Chicago woman who got sick from the virus after she returned from a trip to Wuhan, the Chinese city that is the epicenter of the outbreak.

In an effort to contain the novel coronavirus, the Chinese authorities have suspended air, road, and rail travel in the area around Wuhan and placed restrictions on travel and other activities throughout the country.

The Department of State also ordered the departure of all non-emergency U.S. personnel and their family members from Wuhan.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.