Gatherings banned, travel restricted as coronavirus cases grow worldwide

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Gatherings banned, travel restricted as coronavirus cases grow worldwide

By Steve Holland and Julia Harte

 

A resident wearing a face mask walks past barriers built to block an entrance of a residential compound, as the country is hit by a novel coronavirus outbreak in Beijing, China March 1, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Leaders in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas rolled out bans on big gatherings and stricter travel restrictions as cases of the new coronavirus spread around the world.

 

The United States on Saturday reported its first death from the disease, a man in his 50s in Washington state, where officials said two of the state's three cases have links to a nursing home with dozens of residents showing disease symptoms.

 

Although most Americans face a low risk from the virus, more U.S. deaths could be imminent following the nation's first, CNN quoted Vice President Mike Pence as saying.

 

"We know there will be more cases," Pence told CNN's Jake Tapper in a clip released on Saturday, echoing President Donald Trump's earlier comments that additional cases in America were "likely."

 

Travellers from Italy and South Korea would face additional screening, Trump and top officials told a White House news briefing, warning Americans against travelling to coronavirus-affected regions in both countries.

 

Pence said an entry ban on travellers from Iran would be expanded to include any foreign nationals who have visited Iran in the last 14 days.

 

The United States may also restrict travel on its southern border with Mexico, officials said. However, they encouraged Americans to travel around the country, including states that have recorded some of its more than 60 cases.

 

The coronavirus spread further on Saturday, with cases reported in new countries after the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its impact risk alert to “very high.” Soraya Ali reports.

 

The outbreak is disrupting flight demand and many airlines have suspended or modified services in response. After Saturday's press conference, the White House held a call with airlines to discuss new travel restrictions.

 

American Airlines Inc said late on Saturday it was suspending all U.S. flights to Milan.

 

NEW CASES

Ecuador on Saturday reported its first case, in a woman who had travelled from Madrid, while Mexico reported four cases, all in people who had visited Italy.

 

Brazilian officials confirmed that country's second case, a patient in São Paulo who recently visited Italy.

 

As governments worldwide stepped up efforts to halt the spread of the virus, France announced a temporary ban on public gatherings with more than 5,000 people in confined spaces. It reported 16 new cases for a total of 73, and cancelled a half-marathon of 40,000 runners scheduled for Sunday.

Switzerland said it is banning events expected to draw more than 1,000 people.

 

More than 700 tourists remain quarantined at a hotel in the Canary Islands, after several Italian guests there tested positive for coronavirus.

 

Schools and universities in Italy, which is experiencing Europe's worst outbreak of the disease, will stay closed for a second consecutive week in three northern regions. The country has reported more than 1,100 cases and 29 deaths.

 

Analysts have warned that the outbreak looks set to shunt Italy's fragile economy into its fourth recession in 12 years, with many businesses in the wealthy north close to a standstill and hotels reporting a wave of cancellations.

 

FOCUS ON IRAN

Iraq reported five new cases of the disease, bringing its total to 13, and Qatar reported its first Saturday, leaving Saudi Arabia as the only Gulf state not to have signalled any coronavirus cases.

 

The majority of infections in other Gulf countries have been linked to visits to Iran or involve people who have come into contact with people who had been there.

 

Armenia reported its first infection on Sunday, in a citizen returning from neighbouring Iran.

 

Tehran has ordered schools shut until Tuesday and extended the closure of universities and a ban on concerts and sports events for a week. Authorities have also banned visits to hospitals and nursing homes as the country's case load hit nearly 600.

 

One Iranian lawmaker, elected in Feb. 21 polls, has died from the disease along with more than 40 other Iranians, and several high-ranking officials have tested positive for the virus.

 

Azerbaijan said on Saturday it had closed its border with Iran for two weeks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Two Azerbaijanis who travelled to Iran have tested positive for the disease and quarantined.

 

Mainland China reported 573 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Feb. 29, up from 427 the previous day, national health officials said on Sunday in China. The number of deaths stood at 35, down from 47 the previous day, taking the toll in mainland China to 2,870.

 

The epidemic, which began in China, has killed almost 3,000 people worldwide, the ministry said.

 

Thailand reported its first death from the virus on Sunday, while in Australia, a former passenger on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off Japan died in the western city of Perth.

 

Churches closed in South Korea as many held online services instead, with authorities looking to rein in public gatherings, as 376 new infections took the tally to 3,526 cases.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Julia Harte; Additional reporting by Reuters reporters worldwide; Writing by Heather Timmons; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Clarence Fernandez)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-02

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[cornishcarlos]

I still don't think a lot of people are taking this seriously.. I'm in Singapore at the moment and after the initial panic, there now seems to be little preventative measures apart from temp checks going in places, not that they will detect symptoms apart from a temperature !! 

I even caught someone licking their knife and putting it back in the peanut butter the other day, at work !!!! No more peanut butter for me ????

[Tug]

I’m certainly taking it seriously for a big country like China to shut itself down there’s a reason to be alarmed  

[AlexRich]

I wear a mask before I even read an article about Wuhan flu!

[Toany]

And Thailand still welcomes, encourages flights from China. 

TIT

[neeray]

It is said that opposites attract. I watched that Jake Tapper interview with Pence. He's so reserved and about as exciting as a thick block of hardwood. His boss on the other hand is so unreserved. But if Trump wants calm (to protect the stock market, not the people), I guess he chose the right puppet.

[Geoffggi]

1 hour ago, Toany said:

And Thailand still welcomes, encourages flights from China. 

TIT

And worse to come they are still planning to hold Songkran where thousands of people from all over will be in close proximity to each other throwing water about, recipe for disaster.....!!!!

[marko kok prong]

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

And worse to come they are still planning to hold Songkran where thousands of people from all over will be in close proximity to each other throwing water about, recipe for disaster.....!!!!

Don't know where you are Geoff but i doubt there will be much water throwing where i am in Phetchabun province reason being there is no water.

[Geoffggi]

14 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Don't know where you are Geoff but i doubt there will be much water throwing where i am in Phetchabun province reason being there is no water.

Unfortunately in Pattaya...... ha ha ha!!

[chilli42]

2 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

And worse to come they are still planning to hold Songkran where thousands of people from all over will be in close proximity to each other throwing water about, recipe for disaster.....!!!!

Money and power is all that matters.  Government in Thailand has abandoned the people to manage their image and money.

[Traubert]

17 hours ago, Toany said:

And Thailand still welcomes, encourages flights from China. 

TIT

China is the least of your worries

[gargamon]

I'm sorry to tell you. It's too late. The cat is out of the bag. The virus is everywhere and none of these travel restrictions will help.

[daveAustin]

Close every airport and lock-down every city would matter not one whit; as above, horse has bolted.

[JimmyTheMook]

18 hours ago, neeray said:

It is said that opposites attract. I watched that Jake Tapper interview with Pence. He's so reserved and about as exciting as a thick block of hardwood. His boss on the other hand is so unreserved. But if Trump wants calm (to protect the stock market, not the people), I guess he chose the right puppet.

 

One reason he was tasked with the job to openly lie to the public about how quickly this virus can kill.

 

 

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Close every airport and lock-down every city would matter not one whit; as above, horse has bolted.

And yet, somehow, it was done in China-just a coincidence eh...

[overherebc]

How many places where people either live in generally overcrowded areas or, excuse me, generally sh-tty conditions or like to give each other a man hug and kiss on the cheek have fast spreading results?

[Jai Dee]

A couple of troll posts (and replies) have been removed.

[Toany]

Immigration is where people gather every day.  How about letting people not do their 90 day and TM30 reporting to reduce numbers and increase safety

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Close every airport and lock-down every city would matter not one whit; as above, horse has bolted.

 

I think that's wrong. No, those kinds of restrictions won't halt the virus. But they will help slow its spread from higher infection areas into other less impacted areas....

 

And that will give everyone added time for the development of medications and ultimately a vaccine/vaccines, not to mention spreading out the burden on hospital facilities and medical staff that have to treat infected patients.

 

Yes, some horses have bolted. But that doesn't mean you want to let the entire stable run free.

 

[3NUMBAS]

most of the 40 in UK are cured so only a small number are in isolation and airlines are slashing flights galore so they should stem the flow esp from china and italy .so long as airlines keep slashing flights it should slow the number

[3NUMBAS]

On 3/2/2020 at 5:10 AM, Geoffggi said:

And worse to come they are still planning to hold Songkran where thousands of people from all over will be in close proximity to each other throwing water about, recipe for disaster.....!!!!

put some dettol in the water before squirting

[DaRoadrunner]

7 hours ago, Toany said:

Immigration is where people gather every day.  How about letting people not do their 90 day and TM30 reporting to reduce numbers and increase safety

Are we expecting common sense to prevail in Thailand?

 

(Wanna get rapid service and jump the queue at immigration? Just start sneezing and see what happens).

Edited March 3, 2020 by DaRoadrunner

[3NUMBAS]

UK airline stocks are plunging every day as people are terrified to fly anywhere so they just dont show up for flights and dont want to fly anywhere right now .so that should put the virus on hold ,

airlines may go out of business though