Americans urged not to travel abroad over coronavirus

The U.S. urged all of its citizens Thursday to not embark on international travel, and asked those abroad to return immediately, citing the threat posed by the global spread of the new coronavirus.

The State Department told Americans in countries "where commercial departure options remain available" to return to the U.S. immediately "unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period," in a potential sign the U.S. may soon seal its borders.

"If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe," the agency said in its level four global travel advisory.

The announcement follows the department's March 14 decision to allow many embassy and diplomatic staffers and their families to return to the U.S. based on health or other justifications.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency last Friday in a move to facilitate the dispersal of federal resources to state and local governments in their efforts to stem the COVID-19 tide.

There are over 236,000 confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide, including nearly 9,800 deaths, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

The university counted over 11,200 cases, including 157 deaths, in the U.S.