Trump assures Americans, says no reason to panic over virus
Leader encourages Americans not to alter their daily routines, says US is ‘super prepared’ for a wider outbreak; Ecuador reports first new virus case; Mexico confirms two more cases
Seeking to reassure the American public, President Donald Trump said on Saturday there was “no reason to panic” as the new coronavirus claimed its first victim inside the US.
The White House also announced new restrictions on international travel to prevent its spread.
Trump, speaking only moments after the death in Washington state was announced, took a more measured approach a day after he complained that the virus threat was being overblown and that his political enemies were perpetuating a “hoax.”
“This is very serious stuff,” he said, but still insisted the criticism of his administration’s handling of the virus outbreak was a hoax.
Trump appeared at a hastily called news conference in the White House briefing room with Vice President Mike Pence and top public health officials to announce that the US was banning travel to Iran and urging Americans not to travel to regions of Italy and South Korea where the virus has been prevalent.
He said 22 people in the US had been stricken by the new coronavirus, of whom one had died while four were deemed “very ill.” Additional cases were “likely,” he added.
Trump said he was considering additional restrictions, including closing the US border with Mexico in response to the virus’ spread, but later added: “This is not a border that seems to be much of a problem right now.”
“We’re thinking about all borders,” he said. Trump said healthy Americans should be able to recover if they contract the new virus, as he tried to reassure Americans and global markets spooked by the virus threat.
He encouraged Americans not to alter their daily routines, saying the country is “super prepared” for a wider outbreak, adding “there’s no reason to panic at all.” He added he wasn’t altering his own routine either.
“You’re talking about 22 people right now in this whole very vast country. I think we’ll be in very good shape.”
Trump on Sunday said that travellers from countries at high risk of coronavirus would be screened before boarding and upon arrival as the government scrambled to reassure Americans after the first death in the United States.
Officials from Washington state on Saturday said a man in his 50s with underlying conditions had died, and two of three confirmed coronavirus cases in the state had links to a long-term care facility in the city of Kirkland.
“Coronavirus: In addition to screening travellers “prior to boarding” from certain designated high risk countries, or areas within those countries, they will also be screened when they arrive in America. Thank you! @VP @Secazar @ Cdcgov @Cdcdirector,” Trump said on Twitter early on Sunday.
Vice President Mike Pence, whom Trump appointed last week to run the White House’s coronavirus response, told NBC’S “Meet the Press” Americans should brace for more cases, but that the “vast majority” of those who contracted the disease would recover.
“Other than in areas where there are individuals that have been infected with the coronavirus, people need to understand that for the average American, the risk does remain low. We’re ready,” Pence said told NBC.
“We’re leaning into this effort. It’s all hands on deck, because our effort here is to do everything possible to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the United States,” he added.
Meanwhile, officials in Ecuador on Saturday confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the South American nation, while Mexico reported two more cases and Brazil one more.
Ecuador’s Health Minister Catalina Andramuño Zeballos said a more-than-70-year-old Ecuadoran woman who lives in Spain arrived in the country on Feb. 14 showing no symptoms of illness.
It was the second case in South America, following a Brazilian case reported on Wednesday. The Sao Paulo state health department reported another Brazilian case later on Saturday - a person who had recently visited Italy.
Mexico’s Health Department said late Friday that a new case had been confirmed in Mexico City, adding to the first two confirmed cases announced earlier that day. One of those was also in the capital, and the other in the northwestern state of Sinaloa.