The U.S. State Department on Saturday raised its travel advisory for Daegu City to the highest level, after the country reported its first known death from the novel coronavirus.
 
The advisory for the virus-stricken city was raised to Level 4, which means "Do Not Travel," while the rest of South Korea remained under Level 3, "Reconsider Travel."
 
United States Vice President Mike Pence, who is overseeing the U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak, announced the raised advisory during a press conference at the White House.
 
Pence said that the United States is urging Americans to not travel to the specific regions in Italy and South Korea that are most affected by the coronavirus, adding that President Donald Trump authorized the State Department to upgrade the travel advisory.
 
The vice president did not identify the affected regions, but the State Department specified Daegu on its Web site.
 
Pence said that President Trump also directed the State Department to work with Italy and South Korea to medically screen individuals coming in to the United States.
 
The State Department provides four travel advisory levels. The recent restriction comes three days after the department raised the travel advisory for South Korea by one notch to Level 3.