Covid-19 Update 4/15/2020

So many things have changed since our last update about Covid-19. Unfortunately, most of them are not so good. However, we must see on the bright side and to hope that this will be over soon.

While all countries in the world are fighting with this pandemic situation, China slowly is recovering from the virus, and life in the cities comes back in order. Also, many countries in Europe are grateful for the donations of medical supplies that China has provided in the past few weeks. This action shows how big China and its people are. 

The numbers 

In this update, we are not going to show the statistics of the pandemic in detail. We all know that over 2 million people are infected with Covid-19 in the world, and from them, more than 480.000 are recovered, and over 126.000 have lost the battle with the virus. 

At this moment, the United States is the country that has the highest number of infected people. From the latest information, there are more than half a million people infected in the USA. 

In Europe, Spain is the country with the highest number of infected people, with over 174.000 diagnosed people with Covid-19, from 67.504 are recovered, and more than 18.000 are deaths. 

The situation in China is very hopeful. Every new case with Covid-19 is someone who has traveled overseas, and there are only a few cases with local transmission. Up to this update, China has 82.295 total cases with Coronavirus, and from them, 77.816 are recovered, and 3.342 are deaths. 

All information about numbers and statistics about Covi-19 you can find on worldmeteres.info/coronavirus/. 

Travel News 

On January 24, 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, and this regulation is still on. There is no new information about when it will be safe to travel again. 

However, this situation is not only in China but all over the world. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have Level 3 Travel Health Notice that includes traveling from China, most of the European countries, and Iran. This notice is for those U.S. citizens that have traveled in these countries and inform them that they won't be able to enter the USA for the next 14 days. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals holding visas or residence permits still valid to the time of this announcement, effective from March 28, 2020.

Explained, that means that foreigners who hold the following visas, even valid ones, are not allowed to enter China now. 

The ban also applies to those who are planning to enter the country under the following policies:

• 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy;
• Hainan 30-day visa-free policy;
• 15-day visa-free policy for foreign cruise group tours through Shanghai Port;
• Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy for foreign group tours from Hong Kong or Macau SAR; and/or
• Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy for overseas tour groups of ASEAN countries.

This suspension to enter China is not for diplomatic, service, courtesy, or C visas and new visas successfully applied for from Chinese embassies or consulates overseas after the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Also, everyone who has traveled outside China and now has arrived in Beijing must stay 14 days at quarantine hotels and pay for that. Those who are older than 70, younger than 14, and pregnant women are allowed to remain in isolation in their homes. 

It is similar if someone arrived in Shanghai. All who traveled overseas must stay in quarantine for 14 days. 

China is relaxing travel restrictions within its borders to boost business and consumption and revive the economy. 

On March 28, China's Wuhan city, the epicenter of the epidemic, began raising a two-month lockdown by restarting some metro services. Wuhan's borders are provisionally set to be opened on April 8. Stores have been gradually reopening, and factories are restarting across the country, although not in full swing due to limited global demand as the world now fights the virus spread.

For the U.S. citizens

If you are a U.S. citizen and you must travel, or you are living abroad, then it is advisable to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which is a free service. It will allow you to receive the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. 

When you enroll in STEP, you will receive current information about your destination country, including:

• Alerts from the U.S. Embassy about safety and security situations.
• Updates to the country's Travel Advisory.
• Messages about U.S. embassy events and services, such as town hall meetings, voting information, federal benefits, and U.S. citizens' legal obligations (taxes, selective service registration, etc.)

The primary advice in this hard time of pandemic in the whole world is not to travel, to stay at home, and have social distance. If we all respect this, together, we will stop the spreading of the virus. 

We all know the symptoms of Covid-19, and if you feel any of them, please call your doctor to test you for the virus. 

Stay safe and in good health. 

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us at any time. We are here for you!