US ups travel restrictions as Trump says more cases ‘likely’

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is banning travel to Iran in response to the outbreak of the new coronavirus and elevating travel warnings to regions of Italy and South Korea.

Vice President Mike Pence announced the new restrictions and warnings as President Donald Trump said 22 people in the US have been stricken by the new coronavirus, of whom one has died and four are deemed “very ill,” and that additional cases are “likely.”

Trump added that he was considering additional restrictions, including closing the US border with Mexico in response to the virus’ spread — though he added: “This is not a border that seems to be much of a problem right now.

“We’re thinking about all borders,” Trump said.

Travel to Iran is already quite limited, though some families are allowed to travel there on a visa.

It is one of the seven initial countries on Trump’s travel ban list, which means travel from Iran also is already severely restricted.

Trump provided an update on the virus from the White House press briefing room for the second time this week after the first reported US death Saturday, of someone he described as having a high medical risk before contracting the virus.

Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there was “no evidence of link to travel” in the case of the person who died.

On Friday, health officials confirmed a second case of coronavirus in the US in a person who didn’t travel internationally or have close contact with anyone who had the virus.

The US has a total of about 60 confirmed cases.

Trump’s tally appeared to exclude cases of Americans repatriated from China or evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

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