President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and senior US well being officers introduced Saturday afternoon that the Trump administration
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and senior US well being officers introduced Saturday afternoon that the Trump administration will reply to a world enhance in confirmed instances of the novel coronavirus by increasing its travel ban on Iran and issuing “don’t journey” warnings to areas in Italy and South Korea most affected by viral outbreaks.
The announcement comes within the wake of the first US death due to the novel coronavirus in Washington state, the place a girl in her 50s, described by the president Saturday as being “medically high-risk,” died from the virus in a single day.
Underneath the brand new journey restrictions, no Iranians or non-Individuals who’ve been the nation within the final 14 days can be allowed to enter the US, Pence stated.
Iran has reported 593 cases of the coronavirus and 43 deaths — the most important variety of deaths exterior of mainland China. As of Saturday afternoon, Italy has 1,128 confirmed instances and South Korea has 3,150, in keeping with data compiled by researchers at Johns Hopkins College.
Public well being officers on the president’s press convention warned Individuals to count on the variety of recognized coronavirus instances within the US to extend, however stated the possibility of catching the virus stays low. Nearly all of those that contract the virus — 75 to 80 p.c, in keeping with Anthony Fauci, director of the Nationwide Institute of Allergy and Infectious Illness — will expertise it like a “dangerous flu or a chilly.” Wholesome individuals who do turn out to be contaminated by the virus ought to merely keep at house and deal with their signs like they’d a chilly, stated Secretary of Well being and Human Providers Alex Azar.
The opposite 15 to 20 p.c, in keeping with Fauci, might have “superior medical care.”
“For probably the most half, the individuals who get in hassle and finally tragically would die from this are people who find themselves aged and or have underlying circumstances,” Fauci stated. “Coronary heart illness, continual lung illness, diabetes, weight problems.”
The officers additionally careworn that Individuals mustn’t purchase face masks. Amid concerns {that a} public rush to purchase masks would create a scarcity for well being care employees and sufferers who’ve been recognized — those that consultants say ought to have entry to masks to cease the unfold of the virus — the administration introduced they’re making 40 million extra masks out there to healthcare employees and are contracting with 3M to fee 35 million extra.
“That is an all fingers on deck effort,” Pence instructed reporters Saturday. “Whereas the chance to Individuals stay low, the president’s actions immediately with regard to Iran — with regard to Italy and South Korea and with regard to creating medical provides extra out there — I hope provides proof to the truth that at his route we’re going to proceed to lean into this effort and put the well being and security of the American folks first.”
Officers usually are not but discouraging journey inside the US, together with to states the place instances have been recognized.
Trump additionally promised to satisfy “with the most important pharmaceutical corporations on this planet” Monday to debate plans to develop a potential vaccine for the virus “in a short time,” although Fauci has said it’s going to take a yr to 18 months to make a therapy broadly out there.
The primary US instances of coronavirus “neighborhood unfold” have been found Friday
The Washington girl’s demise comes following a Friday report of 4 new coronavirus instances in three US states: one in Oregon, one in California and two in Washington.
These instances have been, for the primary time, a results of “neighborhood unfold,” Fauci stated Saturday. Meaning they didn’t come up after journey or contact with somebody already recognized, and could also be an indication that the virus is spreading inside communities.
“That actually challenges us with one thing that we have to do and that we do very properly,” Fauci stated. Well being authorities “would wish to determine, isolate, and make contact with hint. That’s what’s happening in proper right here within the nation.”
Whereas the Trump administration supplied its newest anti-coronavirus methods Saturday, in the intervening time, nearly all of instances of coronavirus are nonetheless exterior the US. South Korean officers introduced greater than 800 new instances of Covid-19 — the illness brought on by the coronavirus — Saturday, marking the largest each day bounce in infections within the nation.
The primary South Korean novel coronavirus case was simply found six weeks in the past, and since that point, the nation has already suffered 17 deaths as a result of virus. South Korean officers are calling the rise a “vital second” within the virus’s unfold, and have warned folks to apply “social distancing” for the following few days. South Korea has the second-highest variety of confirmed instances worldwide, following behind China.
General, consultants say US residents mustn’t panic, however that there are good ways to protect oneself. That features, sure, washing your fingers. However carrying a face masks isn’t useful when you aren’t sick (though it’s a good suggestion to put on one in case you are). And, if potential, consultants have suggested stocking up on a number of weeks price of provides in addition to making a plan for what you’d do when you or your loved ones have been saved from college, day care, or work.