How Coronavirus Outbreak is going to affect your Travel plans?
This article was written on 6th March-2020.
As the number of cases of COVID-19 across the globe is reaching the 100,000 mark, the world is staring at a pandemic-in-becoming.
Initially, several countries believed the source of this new and unknown virus to be China’s Wuhan city (the epicentre of Coronavirus disease). It was soon contradicted as patients with no link to China in other countries tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
COVID-19 has already reached endemic proportions, and there is no certainty regarding the scale of its spread in the future. Amidst rising tensions across the globe, this epidemic could change the face of international travelling.
Which Countries have been affected the most by Coronavirus?
The list of countries that have been hit the worst by the novel coronavirus is listed in the table below:
| Country | Positive cases of COVID-19* | Deaths* |
| China | 80559 | 3042 |
| South Korea | 6593 | 42 |
| Italy | 3858 | 148 |
| Iran | 3513 | 108 |
| Germany | 555 | 0 |
| France | 423 | 7 |
| Japan | 364 | 6 |
| Spain | 282 | 3 |
| United States of America | 233 | 14 |
| Switzerland | 122 | 1 |
| Singapore | 117 | 0 |
| United Kingdom | 116 | 1 |
| Hong Kong | 105 | 2 |
| Norway | 100 | 1 |
| Sweden | 94 | 0 |
Territories with confirmed cases of COVID-19
What is the new Travel advisory issued by Government of India?
As per the new advisory, Indians are advised not to travel to China, the Republic of Korea, Italy, and Iran. It also said in the advisory to not undertake any unnecessary travels to other affected nations.
In tandem with this advisory, several airlines have also suspended flights to severely affected regions. For instance, Air India and IndiGo banned flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai on 8th February. Air India extended this suspension from 2 days to the end of June.
Vistara Airlines also followed suit and reduced the number of flights to and from Singapore and Bangkok.
Which Countries should be avoided currently?
At the wake of a global epidemic, it is necessary to consider your travel plans. As the world battles to find a cure to COVID-19, it is of utmost importance to prevent or at least delay its spread.
The onus, at this point, falls on you to ensure that the numbers do not go higher by properly assessing your own international travel plans. The places which you should avoid at all costs are mentioned below:
- China
- Japan
- Iran
- South Korea
- Hong Kong
- Italy
- Singapore
- Germany
- Spain
- Australia
- Thailand
- Taiwan
- Switzerland
What are the Precautions to be Taken for International Travel?
If you are travelling to a country with no confirmed cases of COVID-19 or extremely limited numbers, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Carry face masks.
- Maintain proper hygiene, such as regular washing of hands.
- Maintain distance from people who are coughing or sneezing.
- Check for new developments before travelling to your destination and also after landing.
- Refrain from going to regions with even a single confirmed case of coronavirus.
- Carry alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
What is the Condition in India?
In India, there have been a total of 31 cases as of 6th March 2020. The first case was recorded in Thrissur, Kerala when a medical student from Wuhan was confirmed positive of coronavirus.
On 3rd March, an Italian tourist was tested positive for the coronavirus disease in Jaipur. Following that, on 4th March, 14 other Italian tourists tested positive for COVID-19.
This brought the number of cases reported across India to 23 on that day. Heavily affected areas include Rajasthan and Delhi. Two cases have also been recorded in Hyderabad.
Hence, in such tumultuous times, it is best to refrain from travelling to regions with confirmed cases of this new disease. If you are from such regions, consider taking adequate measures to avoid catching COVID-19.
Read more: Find out what is covered in Health Insurance for COVID 19