Is it safe to travel to Austria and Croatia? Latest travel advice as Grand Hotel Europa in Innsbruck placed under lockdown

The Innsbruck hotel was placed under complete lockdown after a receptionist was found to be carrying the virus. Picture: Johann Groder/AFP via Getty Images | Getty

Cases are now confirmed in Austria, with the virus having initially broken out at a hotel in a popular Alpine region. Croatia has also reported its first cases, although it and the other Balkan nations remain less affected than other parts of Europe so far.

Here’s the latest travel advice for Austria and Croatia.

A young Croatian man was taken to hospital in Zagreb after being diagnosed with the virus. Picture: Denis Lovrovic/AFP via Getty Images | Getty

How has Austria been affected by the virus?

An Italian couple staying at the 108-room Grand Europa Hotel in the alpine tourist town of Innsbruck tested positive for the virus on Tuesday (25 February), prompting local authorities to place the hotel under quarantine.

The woman works as a receptionist at the hotel and her partner had been visiting.

The couple, both in their 20s, had driven to Innsbruck directly from their hometown near Lombardy – the Italian region at the heart of Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

The key symptoms to look out for. Picture: World Health Organisation | other

Guests and staff were all locked inside while 62 people were tested for the virus.

Nine of those who had been in close contact with the couple were then placed into a two-week quarantine, with a further three members of the couple’s social circle also quarantined.

Since then, the number of coronavirus cases in the country has continued to rise, with 959 cases now confirmed. Two deaths has been reported.

Is it safe to travel to Austria?

Austria is now dealing with a serious coronavirus outbreak of its own.

In repsonse, the government has announced that it will be limiting people's movement so that only those performing essential tasks should be leaving their homes.

As of Monday 16 March, all direct air links between the UK and Austria have been cancelled, while the rail links to surrounding nations have also been halted.

Restrictions are also in place at Austria's borders.

As of Tuesday 17 March, all non-essential businesses around the country will also be closed.

How has Croatia been affected by the virus?

Croatia also confirmed its first coronavirus case on Tuesday (25 February), also involving a person who had recently returned from Italy.

The country’s health minister confirmed that a Croatian man had come back from Milan showing “milder signs of the illness.”

However, he also announced that Croatia feels well prepared to deal with the virus, arguing that “It is a disease that is similar to the flu and no bigger complications are expected than in the case of the flu.”

Croatia have already taken precautionary measures against the virus – instituting airport checks for flights arriving from Italy and China, and also banning all school trips to Italy for the time being. They have also advised against any travel to the quarantined parts of northern Italy.

So far there have been 57 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Croatia but no deaths.

Is it safe to travel to Croatia?

On 12 March, the Croatian government announced that anyone arriving from the following countries would be placed under compulsory 14-day self-isolation: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherlands, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore and Iran.

Those who refuse self-isolation will be denied entry.