WASHINGTON, Feb 29 (Reuters) – U.S. officials said on Saturday that restrictions on travelers from Iran would be expanded to include any foreign nationals who have visited that country in the last 14 days as part of an effort to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the United States.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said the United States would also work with Italy and South Korea to coordinate screening of travelers entering the United States from those countries. Pence made his remarks at a press conference at the White House alongside President Donald Trump and other officials.
The risk to any average American from coronavirus remains low, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said at the press conference. But Azar cautioned that could change rapidly. “We want to lower the amount of travel to and from the areas most impacted by coronavirus,” Azar said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland Editing by Paul Simao)
