DFAT raises alert level for Japan and South Korea due to coronavirus

Just five months out from the Tokyo Olympics, Australians have been warned about travelling to Japan and South Korea as the global virus outbreak worsens.

Australians who plan to travel to Japan and South Korea have been warned to exercise a “high degree of caution” after the Federal Government raised its travel advice level to both countries due to coronavirus.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade updated its advice for Japan and South Korea from level 1 to level 2 on the four-level Smartraveller advisory scale yesterday.

“Based on advice from Australia’s chief medical officer, we now recommend you ‘exercise a high degree of caution’ in Japan due to a heightened risk of sustained local transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19),” DFAT said in relation to the Japan advisory.

READ MORE: Follow our coronavirus updates

READ MORE: ‘Virus did not originate in seafood market’

It similarly updated its advice for South Korea.

“We now also advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Daegu and Cheongdo due to significant outbreaks of COVID-19 in those cities,” DFAT said.

“If you are in South Korea, monitor your health closely and follow the advice of local authorities.”

We have raised the level of advice for Japan. We now recommend Australians exercise a high degree of caution in Japan...

Posted by smartraveller.gov.au on Sunday, 23 February 2020

The department has updated its advice for mainland China to “do not travel”.

The majority of coronavirus cases in Japan are passengers and crew of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which spent two weeks quarantined off the Japanese port of Yokohama, near Tokyo, with 691 cases on-board, including 46 Australians. Six Australian passengers have been diagnosed since being evacuated to the Howard Springs quarantine facility near Darwin.

Three elderly Diamond Princess passengers, all from Japan, have died from the virus.

Tokyo is set to host the Olympic Games in July, and the city’s governor hit back at suggestions it should be moved due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Passengers are evacuated from the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship off the Japanese port of Yokohama, near Tokyo. Picture: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Yuriko Koike was responding to a comment from British mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, who said London might need to “step up” as replacement host.

“It’s inappropriate to say something that will make the coronavirus an issue for the mayoral race at a time when it has attracted global interest,” Ms Koike said on the weekend.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s president has ordered the country’s officials to take “unprecedented, powerful” steps to fight the spread of the virus.

South Korea has announced 169 more cases of coronavirus, which brings the country’s total to 602. Its number of fatalities has doubled, from three to six.

Most cases have been reported in the country’s fourth-largest city, Daegu, with more than half of the cases linked to a local church branch.

People wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Seoul’s Namdaemun market on Sunday. Picture: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

The South Korean Government has raised its ant-virus alert level to the highest – red – which could force authorities to close schools and scale back operation of public transport and air travel.

President Moon Jae-in said the coronavirus outbreak had “reached a crucial watershed”, Associated Press reported.

“We shouldn’t be bound by regulations and hesitate to take unprecedented, powerful measures,” Mr Moon said.

Australia’s ban on foreign travellers from China has been extended to Saturday, but the Government will now allow entry for senior high school students from mainland China, except Hubei province.

The year 11 and 12 students who are enrolled in Australian schools will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with the final say from states and territories, Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said on Saturday.

A similar relaxation of travel restrictions on university students will be considered this week.