The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its travel advisory for South Korea to its highest level, warning Americans to avoid nonessential travel to the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Korea have surged passed 800, making it the highest concentration of infections outside China. More than 2,600 people in China have died from the virus, though the World Health Organization did not declare the outbreak a pandemic on Monday.
China and South Korea are so far the only two countries to receive the Level 3 warning. The CDC has urged travelers to use enhanced precautions when traveling to Iran, Italy, and Japan.
The CDC advised those who must travel to talk with their doctors first and avoid contact with sick people once they arrive in the countries experiencing an outbreak.
In the United States, 53 cases have been confirmed as of Monday.
