Washington, 15 March 2020 (NPR)

The U.S. and countries around the world continued to adapt to the spreading corona-virus pandemic by imposing new restrictions Saturday, as the virus upended travel plans, pushed back elections and forced major companies to adapt.

In Washington, the Trump administration said Saturday that the U.S. would extend the current ban on travel from Europe to include the U.K. and Ireland, effective midnight Monday.

The U.S. travel ban does not apply to American citizens, legal permanent residents, their immediate families, and certain others. These people will be channeled through one of 13 airports equipped to do special screening.

Speaking at the White House, President Trump said he’s also considering domestic travel restrictions in response to the spread of coronavirus.

“If you don’t have to travel, I wouldn’t do it,” Trump said. “We want this thing to end. We don’t want a lot of people getting infected.”

The Trump administration said the number of Americans who have died of the corona-virus now stands at 50, with more than 2,200 cases in the country. It is in nearly every state, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

The president’s physician, Sean Conley, said Saturday night that Trump himself tested negative for coronavirus. The results, relayed in a statement from the president’s press secretary, come a day after Conley said Trump “remains without symptoms” and testing was not needed. Trump had been in contact with people who later tested positive for corona-virus.