Trump announced New Travel Screenings after first Coronavirus Death in the US

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On Sunday morning, U.S President Donald Trump has announced new screening procedures; the day after the US recorded its first death from the coronavirus. Trump said in a tweet that people will be screened upon arriving if they are traveling from a high-risk country. The U.S recorded its first coronavirus death on Saturday, adding to a growing list of infections circulating in communities without any clear source of infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the U.S has reached 71 confirmed cases of the virus. Director of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield said several of those cases are believed to have been spread person-to-person with unknown origins, including the patient in Washington State who died.

The health officer for Seattle and King County, Washington said the patient was 50-years old man with underlying health conditions. It is noteworthy that 86,500 cases confirmed globally, at least 2,976 have been fatal including 2,870 in China. Officials warned last week that the virus would begin spreading in US communities. Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Nancy Messonnier said, “We expect we will see community spread in this country. It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore, but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have a severe illness”.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said, “It’s important to remember for the vast majority of individuals who contract the novel coronavirus, they will experience mild to moderate symptoms, and their treatment will be to remain at home, treating their symptoms, the way they would a severe cold, or the flu”. There are 71 confirmed or presumptive positive cases in the U.S. It includes 44 people who were aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. CDC said 3 people repatriated from China and 24 cases occurred in the U.S. 13 cases in the U.S are travel-related and 10 are linked to person-to-person spread. On Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence said the U.S is expanding travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus.