America to extend travel ban to UK and Ireland
President Donald Trump said a ban on flights to the US from the UK and Ireland will be announced amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Under the restrictions expected to be announced, American citizens, green card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the US - but will be funnelled to 13 airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders, according to reports.
President Trump has also revealed he has taken a coronavirus test, and has defended shaking hands with people.
On Wednesday, President Trump announced a month-long restriction on travel from most of Europe, set to begin at midnight on Friday night.
He said on Thursday that he was considering other major restrictions, such as limiting travel to domestic hot spots like California and Washington state, without spelling out how he would manage such an extraordinary effort.
The State Department issued a global advisory cautioning US citizens to "reconsider travel abroad".
Figures released today show the number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen to 21, and as of 9am on March there have been 1,140 confirmed cases of the disease in the UK.