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Some tourists or American citizens without long-term living arrangements or support networks abroad have been trying to get back to the United States, but have found that difficult because of border closings or flight cancellations and other transportation shutdowns. For example, American students trapped in Peru because of new travel restrictions imposed by the government there have been pleading with American officials to get them back to the United States. President Trump, asked during a briefing on Thursday about Americans stranded abroad and trying to re-enter the United States, said that the administration was working with the military to get some of them home. (Wong, 3/19)

Particularly large numbers of American travelers have been stranded in Morocco, Peru, Honduras and Tunisia, where some have complained that U.S. embassies have not provided adequate help in getting them home. The pandemic has forced governments around the world to try to arrange alternative routes for citizens to return home for vacations or work trips. The U.S. advisory warns that Americans should “have a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. government for assistance.” (Hudson, 3/19)

“The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19,” it said in the new advice. “In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.” Until the upgrade, the department’s advice to U.S. citizens was to “reconsider” all international travel under what is known as a “level three” alert. The global “level four” warning was unprecedented as such alerts are generally reserved for specific countries embroiled in conflict, natural disasters or where Americans face specific risks. (Lee, 3/19)

The department on Thursday issued a Level 4 advisory for travel abroad – "do not travel" – only four days after it issued a Level 3 advisory that urged Americans to "reconsider travel." (Tate and Shesgreen, 3/19)

The U.S. has arranged chartered flights to evacuate Americans out of Morocco, according to an alert sent by the embassy and obtained by ABC News. Hundreds of Americans have been stuck in the North Africa country for days after the government announced Sunday it would shut down all travel in and out to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus -- one of many governments to do so on short notice, leaving Americans stranded and urging local U.S. embassies for help. (Finnegan, 3/20)

In an unprecedented global health advisory, the department issued its highest-level alert, usually reserved for war zones or hot spots like Syria, North Korea or Somalia. (Finnegan, 3/19)