Corona Virus and China Tourism (What you need to know if planning travel)

Table of Contents

1. China Tourism has been suspended due to the virus outbreak in Wuhan
2. What is the current situation - UPDATED: 30 January 2020
3. What is Coronavirus? What are the symptoms?
4. As a local travel operator, WindhorseTour would like to suggest to our clients
5. Suggestions for those who are currently in China
    

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Dear valued customers, 

We hope you all are doing well. 

We believe most of you have been aware of the current outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province in central China. 

Due to the spread speed and the number of cases has risen rapidly, at 10 am on January 23rd, the Chinese government has locked down Wuhan city, and then followed with the other 13 neighboring cities to contain the spread. 

On January 24th, for the safety and the health of the public, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism office has ordered travel agencies and tourism companies to stop selling tour packages as another part of an effort to contain the spread. At the same time, New Year celebrations, cultural events, movie releases, tea houses, any other public gathering are called to cancel and close, and people are advised to stay at home to keep healthy.

What is the current situation?

1. So far (By 2020-01-30), China has reported 6090 people infected and 133 deaths by the virus. You can check the Coronavirus Live Map: Tracking the Spread of the Outbreak here.
2. The infected cases have been reported in most provinces in China and some Asian countries, along with 5 found in the US, 2 in Canada, 7 in Australia, 4 in France & Germany. 
3. Chinese officials have closed transport within and out of Wuhan and the other 13 neighboring cities to contain the spread, including buses, subways, trains, and the airport.
4. The government is building two new hospitals that provide over 2300 beds to receive patients to ease the shortage of beds in Wuhan, and the hospitals will be in use on February 3rd and 5th.
5. Medical teams from across China are sent to Wuhan successfully to reinforce the city.
6. Some local hospitals in Wuhan and the neighboring cities are short of some medical supplies. But the government is trying to solve it. Also, the individuals and some companies are helping with it.

For those who want to monitor the situation more closely, here are live updates about the Coronavirus from the World Health Organization,  The New York Times and CNN

What is Coronavirus? What are the symptoms?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as pneumonia to Middle East respiratory syndrome, known as MERS, and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Common signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and, unfortunately, death.

As a local travel operator, WindhorseTour would like to suggest to our clients:  

Dear clients, please keep in mind that we at WindhorseTour care for all of you, and we will go through this difficult period together, as we did in 2003 during the SARS period. Back in 2003, the situation was also quite difficult, but everything was back to normal a few months after the virus. We will keep you informed when it will be safe for you to travel again in China.

1. For those who are planning to travel to China in the following months (February/ March), we recommend you to hold your plan until the official release announcement. 
2. For those who had booked the tours for the coming month travel (February), WindhorseTour will assist you for any cancellation and refund at the beginning of February. No cancellation fee will be charged. 
3. For those who booked the tour for the next month (March) and the following months, you may consider holding the booking for a few weeks more to see if there is any release. 

If you have any questions, you can contact us on our website or the contact that you already have, and we will answer back as soon we have information for your concern. Here is additional Novel Coronavirus Information for Travelers.

 Suggestions for those who are currently in China:

• Avoid any contact with sick people.
• Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat).
• Wash often hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Wear proper masks when you have to go out
• Avoid touching your eyes and nose wherever possible
• Maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle

We wish the situation could get better in the coming weeks, and our WindhorseTour team will keep the updates here. 

Sincerely,

WindhorseTour

Image via: By Original author: Pharexia - Map derived from BlankMap-World-Microstates.svgData derived from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York Times, CNBC, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86236603