Delta and American Airlines have both announced sweeping cancellations of all flights to and from China after ongoing reports of a potentially deadly coronavirus outbreak within the eastern Asian country.
Delta has suspended all flights between China and the United States beginning on Sunday, February 2. The suspension is slated to last until April 30, and comes earlier than Delta had previously indicated due to an announcement issued by the U.S. State Department urging residents not to travel to China amid a coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed over 200 lives in that country thus far.
American Airlines has currently cancelled all China flights as well, as well as temporarily suspending Hong Kong service until Monday, February 3, at which time company representatives said they will make “day by day decisions” based on their operational situation.
The first coronavirus case was diagnosed in December in the city of Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province. Since the outbreak, there have been nearly 12,000 confirmed cases reported in China so far, with multiple other countries – including the United States – now reporting a limited number of cases of their own. This strain of coronavirus – designated 2019-nCoV – produces pneumonia-like symptoms which include fever, coughing, and difficulty breathing, and can be fatal.
Three coronavirus cases are currently being treated in New York City, according to reports.
President Donald Trump issued an announcement on Friday, January 31 that U.S. residents that are traveling home from China are still allowed to enter the United States, but those who have been to the Hubei province face a mandatory quarantine time of 14 days. However, foreign nationals who have been to China in the past 14 days are currently barred entry.
