North Korea will suspend all flights and trains to and from China on Friday in response to the outbreak of a new, deadly coronavirus in the neighboring country, according to the British ambassador to North Korea.

"#NorthKorea introduces more restrictions on travel with all flights and trains between #DPRK and China suspended from 31 January in response to #Coronavirus," Colin Crooks said on Twitter late Thursday.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

North Korea's Railways Ministry notified Chinese railway authorities that passenger trains connecting Beijing and Pyongyang would be suspended from Thursday, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday.

The report also said passenger trains linking the border city of Dandong in China's Liaoning Province and the North Korean capital were suspended Friday.

Air Koryo, North Korea's state-run carrier, said it will stop operating flights between Beijing and Pyongyang after a flight scheduled on Saturday. It added it has yet to determine when it would resume serving the route.

So far North Korea has not reported any cases of the virus, which has spread to around 20 other countries.

North Korean media has reported stepped-up quarantine measures at the Chinse border and airports and railway stations in the country. People suspected of infection are being quarantined, according to the reports.


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