The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 3 warning.
For some time, the US Department of State has also had in place a higher Level 4 warning not to travel to the Lombardy and Veneto regions, which have been quarantined.
A number of cruise lines have already been denying boarding to people who have traveled through those specific regions or had contact with anyone there. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., for example, does not allow those who have traveled through Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romana within the past 15 days.
CLIA update
In its latest (March 4) update on coronavirus protocols, Cruise Lines International Association said member lines are denying boarding to anyone who has traveled from any municipality in Italy subject to quarantine by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within 14 days prior to embarkation.
This joins the existing 'deny boarding' policy to anyone who has traveled from, visited or transited via airports in South Korea, Iran and China, including Hong Kong and Macau, within 14 days of embarkation.
Illness screening guided by CDC information
Additionally, CLIA said lines will conduct illness screening for all persons who have traveled from, visited or transited via airports in any destinations listed on the US CDC 'Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel' page within 14 days before embarkation.
Illness screening includes symptom history checks for fever, cough and difficulty breathing in the 14 days before embarkation and temperature-taking.
'With strict measures in place, as guided by national and international health authorities, CLIA and its member lines, in concert with pronouncements from the World Health Organization, do not believe restrictions on the movement of ships are justified,' the association added.
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