UK advises citizens to avoid travel to China

LONDON

The U.K. has advised its citizens to avoid traveling to China due to an outbreak of the coronavirus in that country.

“Due to the increasing travel restrictions and the public health situation, we now advise against all but essential travel to China,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.

The British government previously advised against travel to Wuhan Province, the worst affected area from the outbreak.

“We are also working urgently to finalize arrangements for an assisted departure from Hubei Province for British nationals this week, and are in contact with people in Hubei to ensure they register their interest and that we can keep them updated,” Raab said.

The death toll in China from the novel coronavirus outbreak has climbed to 106, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday.

Some 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, also known as 2019-nCoV, had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions by the end of Monday, Xinhua said, citing the National Health Commission.

Xinhua reported 976 patients remained in critical condition while 6,973 people were suspected of being infected.