The U.S. advised against all travel to China on Friday after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a new virus that has spread to more than a dozen countries a global emergency.
The number of cases spiked more than tenfold in a week, including the highest death toll in a 24-hour period reported Friday.
The State Department's travel advisory told Americans currently in China to consider departing using commercial means, and requested that all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel "in light of the novel coronavirus."
Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said it will send charter flights to bring home residents of Hubei from overseas.