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| Coronavirus latest updates: Trump extends travel ban to UK and Ireland | Coronavirus latest updates: Trump extends travel ban to UK and Ireland |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ivanka Trump working from home as a precaution; US House passes virus aid package; China records 11 new cases; WHO says Europe is at centre of pandemic | Ivanka Trump working from home as a precaution; US House passes virus aid package; China records 11 new cases; WHO says Europe is at centre of pandemic |
| Here’s the latest on the situation in Colombia and Venezula from my Bogota-based colleague Joe Parkin Daniels : | |
| Colombia overnight closed its border with Venezuela in order to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the South American nation, a move that is likely to have lasting ramifications given the scale of Venezuela’s migration crisis. | |
| About 4.5 million people have fled Venezuela which, despite boasting the planet’s largest proven oil reserves, remains mired in years-long economic and social turmoil. Hyperinflation is rampant, with shortages in basic foodstuffs and medical supplies already a daily reality. Around 1.4 million of those that have left have arrived to Colombia, which shares a 1,378-mile border with Venezuela. | |
| Authorities estimate as many as 40,000 people cross the border every day, the majority of which buy supplies - medicines and food staples - and return home. | |
| The move to shut the border came overnight, after Venezuela confirmed its first two cases of Covid-19 on Friday morning. | |
| The two countries broke diplomatic relations when Colombia ceased to recognise its embattled leader, Nicolás Maduro, as the country’s legitimate president in early 2019, as part of an ongoing US-led coalition to oust him from office. Analysts say that will hamper coordination to contain a virus that does not respect borders. | |
| Others worry that the closure will force desperate Venezuelans to cross informally, putting them at risk of armed groups operating along the border. | |
| “Colombia’s overnight decision to ‘close’ its porous border with Venezuela won’t stop the flow of people,” tweeted Geoff Ramsey, a Venezuela expert at the Washington Office on Latin America. “But it will force them to rely more on informal crossings where they’ll be more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.” | |
| Colombia currently has 22 confirmed cases of Covid-19, but its government appears to view Venezuela - with fewer cases - as a possible centre of an outbreak in Latin America. Iván Duque Márquez, Colombia’s president, described the closure in a statement as “a measure of protection ahead of the situation unfolding in [Venezuela].” | |
| Márquez also announced overnight a ban on travellers who have been in Europe or Asia in the last 14 days, with the exceptions of Colombian citizens and residents. | |
| All measures are expected to last until 30 May. | |
| In the UK, a newborn baby tested positive for coronavirus at a north London hospital earlier today. | |
| The child’s mother, who was taken to a north London hospital days before the birth with suspected pneumonia, has also caught the virus. | |
| Richard Tedder, visiting professor in medical virology, Imperial College London, said this raises “concerns about the potential ways in which this transmission may have occurred”. | |
| He told PA Media: | |
| Italy’s coronavirus death toll rose to 1,441 from 1,266 on Friday, according to official data. The number of confirmed cases has risen to 21,157 from 17,660 over the same period. | |
| The filming in Mexico of a big budget Steven Spielberg-produced Amazon mini-series, starring Spanish actor Javier Bardem, has been suspended due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to a letter sent to cast and crew on Friday and seen by Reuters. | The filming in Mexico of a big budget Steven Spielberg-produced Amazon mini-series, starring Spanish actor Javier Bardem, has been suspended due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to a letter sent to cast and crew on Friday and seen by Reuters. |
| The production entitled Mexica, which centers on the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, began filming two weeks ago on location in Mexico City. Mexico has so far confirmed 26 cases of coronavirus. | The production entitled Mexica, which centers on the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, began filming two weeks ago on location in Mexico City. Mexico has so far confirmed 26 cases of coronavirus. |
| Only a skeletal wrap crew will continue working through next week, and cast and crew were informed that production might resume in December depending on how the public health crisis develops. | Only a skeletal wrap crew will continue working through next week, and cast and crew were informed that production might resume in December depending on how the public health crisis develops. |
| The project’s budget is believed to be tens of millions of dollars, and dozens of local contractors will be affected by the suspension. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | The project’s budget is believed to be tens of millions of dollars, and dozens of local contractors will be affected by the suspension. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| Latvia will also close its borders to all foreigners from Tuesday to stop the spread of the outbreak. | Latvia will also close its borders to all foreigners from Tuesday to stop the spread of the outbreak. |
| Latvia has banned all public gatherings of more than 50 people, its prime minister, Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, has announced. | Latvia has banned all public gatherings of more than 50 people, its prime minister, Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, has announced. |
| There are more than 2,200 coronavirus cases in the US but the country has not yet “reached peak” of the outbreak, according to top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci. | There are more than 2,200 coronavirus cases in the US but the country has not yet “reached peak” of the outbreak, according to top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci. |
| US vice-president Mike Pence has announced all travel to the UK and Ireland will be suspended from midnight Monday EST. | US vice-president Mike Pence has announced all travel to the UK and Ireland will be suspended from midnight Monday EST. |
| Houthi rebels in control of northern Yemen have said that all passenger flights to and from the capital Sana’a will be suspended for two weeks to prevent Covid-19 from reaching the country, where five years of war have already decimated healthcare infrastructure. | Houthi rebels in control of northern Yemen have said that all passenger flights to and from the capital Sana’a will be suspended for two weeks to prevent Covid-19 from reaching the country, where five years of war have already decimated healthcare infrastructure. |
| The announcement is particularly painful for many Yemenis in poor health since medical evacuation flights have only just restarted after years of negotiations with the Saudi-led military coalition, which controls the country’s airspace. | The announcement is particularly painful for many Yemenis in poor health since medical evacuation flights have only just restarted after years of negotiations with the Saudi-led military coalition, which controls the country’s airspace. |
| Yemen, Libya and Syria - all of which have significant populations of displaced people and failing healthcare systems - are yet to announce any cases of the novel coronavirus. Warring parties have insisted that the three Middle Eastern nations remain free of the pandemic, despite fears from aid agencies that cases may be being covered up or the virus may already be present but undetected. | Yemen, Libya and Syria - all of which have significant populations of displaced people and failing healthcare systems - are yet to announce any cases of the novel coronavirus. Warring parties have insisted that the three Middle Eastern nations remain free of the pandemic, despite fears from aid agencies that cases may be being covered up or the virus may already be present but undetected. |
| For Yemen in particular, where over 3 million people are displaced and over a third of the population needs humanitarian aid, an outbreak of coronavirus could be catastrophic. | For Yemen in particular, where over 3 million people are displaced and over a third of the population needs humanitarian aid, an outbreak of coronavirus could be catastrophic. |
| Iran, one of the worst hit countries, has close ties to both the Houthi administration in Yemen and Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria. | Iran, one of the worst hit countries, has close ties to both the Houthi administration in Yemen and Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria. |
| The Syrian regime said on Friday that schools would close and most public events are cancelled until further notice as a precautionary measure. | The Syrian regime said on Friday that schools would close and most public events are cancelled until further notice as a precautionary measure. |
| Unconfirmed reports from doctors in Damascus suggest the Syrian capital may already be dealing with the virus. | Unconfirmed reports from doctors in Damascus suggest the Syrian capital may already be dealing with the virus. |
| Here is the latest from Martin Pengelly, who is at the White House press conference: | Here is the latest from Martin Pengelly, who is at the White House press conference: |
| Donald Trump attended the press briefing and spoke first, wearing a blue “USA” baseball cap and a suit and shirt but no tie. | Donald Trump attended the press briefing and spoke first, wearing a blue “USA” baseball cap and a suit and shirt but no tie. |
| Eventually, he said he had taken a coronavirus test – a subject of contention for days after he had contact with a number of people who have since tested positive. | Eventually, he said he had taken a coronavirus test – a subject of contention for days after he had contact with a number of people who have since tested positive. |
| The president opened by praising state and local measures around the coronavirus and the US taskforce, members of which were ranged behind him at the podium. He also thanked members of Congress for passing a coronavirus economic relief bill on Friday night. It still has to pass the Senate. | The president opened by praising state and local measures around the coronavirus and the US taskforce, members of which were ranged behind him at the podium. He also thanked members of Congress for passing a coronavirus economic relief bill on Friday night. It still has to pass the Senate. |
| Trump thanked Steven Mnuchin, his treasury secretary who negotiated the bill with Nancy Pelosi. He did not directly thank the House speaker. | Trump thanked Steven Mnuchin, his treasury secretary who negotiated the bill with Nancy Pelosi. He did not directly thank the House speaker. |
| He also boasted about the effect on the stock markets of his Friday Rose Garden press conference, in which he declared a national emergency and announced measures to prepare for the pandemic, but also made a series of claims which were immediately questioned and attacked a reporter who asked about cuts to White House pandemic preparedness teams. | He also boasted about the effect on the stock markets of his Friday Rose Garden press conference, in which he declared a national emergency and announced measures to prepare for the pandemic, but also made a series of claims which were immediately questioned and attacked a reporter who asked about cuts to White House pandemic preparedness teams. |
| Behind Trump stood surgeon general Jerome Adams, Dr Deborah Birx, housing secretary Ben Carson and Medicare and Medicaid administrator Seema Verma and Dr Anthony Fauci, all for the most part expressionless. | Behind Trump stood surgeon general Jerome Adams, Dr Deborah Birx, housing secretary Ben Carson and Medicare and Medicaid administrator Seema Verma and Dr Anthony Fauci, all for the most part expressionless. |
| Trump tried to leave without answering questions but was kept in the room. | Trump tried to leave without answering questions but was kept in the room. |
| “By the way, I had my temperature taken coming into the room … and I also took the test,” he said. | “By the way, I had my temperature taken coming into the room … and I also took the test,” he said. |
| He did not reveal the result. | He did not reveal the result. |
| Trump also explained why he continues to shake people by the hand, as he did conspicuously in the Friday press conference. | Trump also explained why he continues to shake people by the hand, as he did conspicuously in the Friday press conference. |
| “Maybe people shouldn’t be shaking hands for the long term,” the famous germaphobe said, though he said he still did it because he had to, as president, as people expected it. | “Maybe people shouldn’t be shaking hands for the long term,” the famous germaphobe said, though he said he still did it because he had to, as president, as people expected it. |
| Donald Trump is asked whether he is going to extend the Europe travel ban to the UK and Ireland. He said: “We’re looking at it very seriously because they have had a little bit of activity unfortunately. We actually have looked at it already and that is going to be announced.” | Donald Trump is asked whether he is going to extend the Europe travel ban to the UK and Ireland. He said: “We’re looking at it very seriously because they have had a little bit of activity unfortunately. We actually have looked at it already and that is going to be announced.” |