U.S. places travel ban on Daegu

The United States upgraded its travel advisory for Daegu on Sunday to the highest level “Do Not Travel to” due to the spread of the disease in the city.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, joined U.S. President Donald Trump in a press conference and said that the State Department is increasing its warning advising Americans not to travel to parts of Italy and South Korea affected by the virus. Although the travel advisory is not legally binding, it greatly affects movement due to the responsibility for quarantine and medical costs. The travel advisory was increased to “Level 3” on Wednesday for South Korea and remains at “Level 3” for the other parts of the country except for Daegu.

Washington is also barring entry to any foreign citizen who has visited Iran as well as China in the past 14 days. It has not imposed an entry ban on Korean and Italian nationals but put in place tougher screening procedures. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha asked Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun on a phone call to refrain from taking excessive measures that can unnecessarily constrain bilateral trade.

Meanwhile, the fourth case was confirmed at the United States Forces Korea. The USFK announced on Saturday that the wife of a soldier who was diagnosed with COVID-19 tested positive. A source from the U.S. government said that the U.S. Department of Defense has dispatched about 60 medical staff to South Korea to conduct tests and work on vaccines.


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