By Sean Lin / Staff reporterTour groups, but not individual travelers, are banned from visiting China as of today, the Tourism Bureau said yesterday as the government stepped up its efforts to prevent the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The announcement came as the Central Epidemic Command Center confirmed two more cases of 2019-nCoV, bringing the nation’s total to three. The center said free antiviral drugs would be available to anyone clinically confirmed to have flu-like symptoms, regardless of nationality, and. The bureau’s ban follows China banning Chinese tour groups from leaving the nation, Tourism Bureau Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said. The bureau backed regulating tour groups headed for China, as Chinese travel agencies might not be able to receive them, and it would be dangerous for them to visit China, Chou said.
