Delta and American Airlines announced on Friday they would suspend all flights between the U.S. and China, following the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus that has infected almost 8,000 people in various cities across the globe.
“American is suspending its operations to and from the Chinese mainland beginning today [January 31] through March 27. Our teams are contacting affected customers directly to accommodate their needs,” read a statement on the American Airlines’s website.
“Delta has decided to temporarily suspend all U.S. to China flying beginning Feb. 6 through April 30 due to ongoing concerns related to the coronavirus,” Delta Airlines said in a similar statement. “Between now and Feb. 5, Delta will continue to operate flights to ensure customers looking to exit China have options to do so.”
The announcements come as major European carriers Air France, British Airways, and Scandinavian Airlines, as well as Israel’s El Al, have also suspended all flights to and from China.
Earlier on Friday the State Department issued its highest level travel advisory for China, warning citizens not to make the journey to the country.
“Do not travel to China due to novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China,” the advisory read. “Those currently in China should consider departing using commercial means.”
Senators Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and Josh Hawley (R., Mo.), both China hawks, had previously called on the Trump administration to institute a ban on travel to China from the U.S. Cotton has also asserted that the epidemic in China, where most cases of the virus are concentrated, is “much worse” than Communist Party officials are willing to admit.
On Thursday the World Health Organization declared the epidemic a global health emergency.