North Korea has reportedly banned foreign tourists from entering the country in efforts to prevent an outbreak of a new coronavirus from China.

According to a source in Beijing on Tuesday, travel agencies in China were recently notified by North Korean authorities that the country would be closing its borders to tourists from other countries to stop the disease from spreading. 

A travel agency official said they received a notice on Monday that North Korea will suspend Chinese tours to the country until a vaccine for the new coronavirus is developed. 

North Korea, which lacks advanced technology and medicine due in part to long-standing sanctions, took similar steps to block outbreaks of SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014.

[Photo : YONHAP News]