Trump Suspends All U.S. Travel to UK & Ireland Amid Coronavirus Fears

According to a White House announcement made this afternoon, the United Kingdom and Ireland will join the rest of European ban on traveling to the United States, as Washington doubles-down in its efforts to try and halt the spread of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

“The president has decided to suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland midnight, Monday night, Eastern Standard Time,” said Vice President Mike Pence at a White House press conference.

According to Pence, the new extended US travel quarantine is set to begin at midnight EST on Monday (04:00 GMT Tuesday).

Previously, President Trump had issued an exemption for the UK and Ireland from his 30-day ban on European travelers to and from the US, but as virus cases sharply increase this week in the UK, Washington was forced to reconsider its previous position.

Thus far, some 1,140 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the UK — up from just over 800 reported cases on Thursday, along with approximately 100 cases in Ireland so far. There have been a total of 21 deaths in the UK, and 1 one in the Republic of Ireland.

VP Pence added that all US citizens in those nations should “come home.”

Thus far, the US has recorded 2,488 infections, and some 51 deaths linked to the deadly strain.

President Trump also told the press that he has been tested himself, and that he expected to receive the results of the test within 48 hours.

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