New coronavirus (COVID-19)

General information

Re-naming of the illness and the virus

On 11.02.2020, the WHO announced a new official name for the illness: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019).

The name of the virus was changed from  2019-nCoV to SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).

Recommendations for travellers in/coming from risk areas

Up-to-date information regarding safety risks and travel warnings can be obtained from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Regions where it has to be assumed that there is persistent transmission of SARS-CoV-2

In the meantime, COVID-19 is widespread across the globe. The current case figures can be viewed on the websites of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). An overview of the situation  regarding the number of COVID-19 cases in Austria is available on the official COVID19 Dashboard. Regarding returning from journeys abroad, please see the applicable regulations.

If it should become necessary at some point in the future to define specific regions where it has to be assumed that a persistent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is taking place, we will publish this information here as usual.

Further information

The current risk assessment for the European Union can be viewed on the website of the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

Supporting documents have been created by the WHO which can be viewed/downloaded from the WHO website.

Additional topical information is also available on the website of the ECDC.

Information from the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China is also available online.