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In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. will bar travel from Europe for 30 days, beginning late Friday, said U.S. President Donald Trump in an Oval Office address to the nation Wednesday night.
He said the U.K., which recently separated from the European Union after the prolonged Brexit debate, is not part of the ban.
Trump mentioned he’s concerned about trade with Europe, but the effects on supply chains aren’t known yet. Read the full transcript here.
In Europe, Italy has experienced the worst outbreak of coronavirus, instituting a nationwide quarantine this week that limits movement to trips to the store, pharmacies or jobs that are open. The U.S. had also shut down travel to China weeks after the outbreak began in the city of Wuhan and led to a widespread quarantine by the Chinese government.
Trump also said measures in the U.S. will include efforts to make low-interest loans to small businesses in areas severely affected by COVID-19, the disease caused by the latest coronavirus outbreak. He also said he’s working on legislation to ensure a financial stimulus for the country.
“This is not a financial crisis,” he said. “This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world.”
This is a breaking story, and we’ll have updates to come.
Also breaking: NBA suspends season after a player tests positive for coronavirus.