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The United States has banned travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland effective midnight Monday, as a follow up to its Friday declaration of national emergency on the coronavirus.
It has also proclaimed today as a national day of prayer.
Vice President Mike Pence announced the restriction of travel from UK and Ireland yesterday to bring to 28 the number travel-restricted countries.
But he said citizens and legal residents would be allowed to return home.
President Donald Trump in a Twitter post declared today a national day of prayer in the United States.
Trump urged the people to turn towards prayer in an act of faith for the country to prevail.
“It is my great honour to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer,” Trump said.
“We are a country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these.
“No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!”
The Pentagon announced new domestic travel restrictions for service members and their families to help contain the outbreak.
It said in a memo that virtually all trips must be put on hold through May 11.
Spain, which is the second most hit country in Europe after Italy, on Saturday announced an additional 1500 cases of the coronavirus.
It now has a total of 5753 cases
Italian Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo Sileri tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday as the country remained on a near-total lockdown.
Latest data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed there are now more than 142,000 coronavirus cases globally and more than 5,300 related deaths across 129 countries.
Deaths in UK almost double overnight to 21
The United Kingdom recorded 10 more coronavirus deaths between Friday night and on Saturday morning, bringing the country’s total to 21.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be considering banning all mass gatherings and sports events from next weekend.
The total number of cases in the UK rose from 820 yesterday morning to 1,145 by afternoon.
Reports from across London said desperate shoppers formed huge queues to purchase toilet roll and strip shelves bare as panic-buying continued in response to the spread of the pandemic.
Shoppers were seen in winding lines at supermarkets as they tried to get their hands on toilet roll, hand sanitizer and tinned goods.
Food retailers urged customers to shop responsibly during the coronavirus outbreak as shelves are left stripped of goods.
611 dead in Iran
The coronavirus death toll in Iran rose to 611 yesterday.
Officials said cases had surged by 1,365 to 12,729.
Jordan closes mosques, stops all flights
With effect from Tuesday, Jordan will stop flights, close its land borders and shut down schools, places of worship and public gatherings to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz said the action would be “in force until further notice”.
But there will exceptions made for cargo flights and those carrying diplomats and staff of international organisations, providing they follow health ministry guidelines — including a two-week quarantine.
Rwanda confirms first case
Rwanda on Saturday confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus.
The carrier was identified as an Indian who arrived penultimate week from Mumbai.
“He is currently under treatment in stable condition, isolated from other patients. The tracing of all contacts has been conducted for further management,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Senegal closes schools, bans independence day events
President Macky Sall of Senegal on Saturday placed a ban on public gatherings, shut down schools and cancelled the April 4 Independence Day festivities.
“I have decided, first of all, to ban all public events for 30 days throughout the country,” Sall said on national television following an emergency meeting.
The president also announced a temporary ban on cruise ships docking in Senegal and the introduction of systematic health controls at all borders.
He also cancelled the official festivities to mark the 60th anniversary of independence from France and closed all schools and universities for three weeks beginning Monday.
With 21 known infections, Senegal has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in sub-Saharan Africa.
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