The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported on March 11 that, given the sharp rise in the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Europe, in addition to the previously announced travel notices for Italy, France, Germany, and Spain, neighboring countries are now also being impacted as the epidemic continues to spread. The Europe Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has determined that there is an intermediate-to-high risk of COVID-19 becoming widespread and of clusters appearing over the coming weeks in the European Union and the United Kingdom. 

In response to the continued spread of COVID-19, the CECC announced today that it has raised the travel notice to Level 2: Alert for the following European and Middle Eastern nations: Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Visitors to these areas are advised to take enhanced precautionary measures, and travelers returning to Taiwan from any of the countries listed above must observe a 14-day period of self-health management.

Additionally, in consideration of the substantial people flows within the Schengen Area, the CECC has raised the travel notice to Level 1: Watch for the following countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Due to the ease of travel to and from the Schengen Area, the travel notice for Ireland and the United Kingdom has also been raised to Level 1: Watch. The CECC reminds visitors to the countries listed above to take usual precautionary measures. Travelers to any of the aforementioned countries must observe a 14-day period of self-health management upon their return to Taiwan.