by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:30 AM ET, Tue February 25, 2020
Korean Air officials announced Tuesday that a member of its cabin crew tested positive for coronavirus.
According to Reuters.com, Korean Air did not reveal which routes were flown with the infected employee onboard, but a source said the airline has temporarily shut down its office near Incheon International Airport.
As a result of the recent spike in confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea, the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also updated its warning to Level 3 and is advising Americans to avoid nonessential travel to the country.
In total, there have been 893 confirmed cases in South Korea, which is a massive spike from the 28 cases reported on February 14.
"There is a widespread, ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that can be spread from person to person," a CDC spokesperson said in a statement. "There is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas."
In the U.S., the CDC confirmed 18 additional cases Monday, bringing the total number of infected Americans to 53, including the 39 evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Congress asking for at least $2.5 billion in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus in America and beyond.
The coronavirus is already impacting the aviation industry, and a new study from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suggests 2020 will see the first drop in air travel in over a decade due to the ongoing viral outbreak.
The report states demand for flights has dropped as a result of the coronavirus, which could cost the airline industry as much as $29.3 billion in lost revenue this year. In addition, the IATA revealed global demand for air travel is expected to drop by 4.7 percent in 2020.
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