Coronavirus - 14th March

Summary for 14th March

7:25

Apple closes all stores outside China

Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the tech company will be temporarily closing all stores "outside of Greater China" until 27 March to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Emergency coronavirus plan for prisons

The UK government is drawing up emergency plans to avoid disruption in England's prisons, with unions saying prison officers face "unprecedented" challenges.
Prison staff will be offered bonuses to cover shortages - and staff could be redeployed to cover front-line services.
A number of inmates died during unrest at several Italian prisons last week after visits were suspended.
The Prison Officers' Association has compared conditions in England's prisons to those found on cruise ships and the Prison Governors' Association has said cases of the virus are inevitable.

What's the latest in the US?

President Donald Trump has imposed a travel ban on 26 European nations as part of a contingency plan to tackle the coronavirus crisis.
It excludes the UK, the Republic of Ireland and other countries outside the Schengen area, and returning US citizens.
Mr Trump has also declared a national emergency, releasing up to $50bn (£40bn) in relief funds.
There are nearly 2,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US, and 43 deaths.
Announcing the state of emergency, Mr Trump stressed that the next eight weeks would be critical.
Hospitals have been asked to activate their emergency preparedness plans; the emergency order will also allow more people to qualify for government health insurance.
Late on Friday, the US House of Representatives passed an aid package to fight the outbreak that includes free testing and paid sick leave, as well as measures to help stabilise financial markets.

What about the situation in Europe?

On Friday, the head of the World Health Organization declared Europe was now the "epicentre" of the global pandemic.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to use aggressive measures, community mobilisation and social distancing to save lives.
"Do not just let this fire burn," he said.
His comments came as several European countries reported steep rises in infections and deaths. Italy has recorded its highest daily toll yet.
Read more here .

More imported cases in China than local infections

For the first time China is reporting that it has more new cases of the virus brought from outside the country, than infections passed on locally.
The data released by China's National Health Commission shows that the country had 11 new cases on Friday, four of which were locally transmitted in Hubei province where the new coronavirus began.
The other seven cases are in travellers from Italy, the US and Saudi Arabia.

Australia-New Zealand cricket series postponed

Two one-day cricket internationals and three T20 games between Australia and New Zealand have been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Saudi Arabia halting international flights

Saudi Arabia will stop flights into the kingdom for two weeks starting from Sunday. The ban applies in all except "exceptional cases", the Saudi Press Agency said.
There are a reported 86 cases in the country, but no deaths so far. There are concerns in the region about Iran, where an outbreak has killed more than 500 people, and there are fears that unofficial tolls there could be higher.

Turkey halts flights from parts of Europe

Turkey has said it will be halting flights to and from nine European countries, including Germany and France, until 17 April, Reuters news agency reports.
The ban begins on Saturday.
The other countries concerned are Spain, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. Turkey had already suspended flights to and from Italy.
Turkey has reported five cases of the virus so far.
Meanwhile the self-declared Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus has banned all non-residents from entering until 1 April.
The entity reported its first coronavirus case on Tuesday, a German tourist. Four more people have since tested positive.

Norway urges citizens to come home

Norway is now asking its own citizens to return home as soon as possible, and advising against travel to all foreign countries, Reuters news agency reports.

'Confusion' over London-Poland flights

A journalist boarding a plane to Warsaw from London has tweeted about mixed messages for people trying to fly. Poland announced a lockdown starting on Sunday, which will ban non-citizens from entering the country.
But Anne Applebaum says the captain on her flight is asking if non-Polish passengers still want to fly, "given that it is unclear if and when they will be able to leave again".
"At Heathrow. Spookily empty except for the totally full Warsaw flight - because borders are closing tomorrow. Booked my ticket even while the PM was still making his speech."

UK mass gatherings ban 'could free up emergency workers'

As we reported earlier, the UK government is preparing plans to ban mass gatherings , a government source says. Now the Care Minister Helen Whately has told the BBC it would have limited impact on the spread of the virus, but could free up emergency workers.
"We are following the evidence. As the chief medical officer said, and I have been advised, the evidence tells us that stopping mass gatherings doesn't have a huge impact on the spread of the virus," Ms Whately said.
"But, for example, decisions have been taken in some countries because of the impact on public services and because, when you have a mass gatherings, that draws on the police and the ambulance service you need to support it."

Chinese specialists help Italy fight the virus

A team of specialist Chinese doctors is in Italy to help the country in its fight against the virus, Ansa news agency reports.
They brought with them equipment including ventilators, respirators and masks.
They include the vice-president of the Chinese Red Cross and a professor of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, both part of the team of intensive care specialists, pediatricians and nurses who treated coronavirus patients in China.

Namibia and Rwanda report first cases

A Spanish couple who arrived in Namibia on Wednesday have both tested positive for the virus, reports Reuters news agency.
The Namibian government said it will continue plans to celebrate Independence Day later this month.
The agency later said that Rwanda had confirmed its first case.

The coronavirus podcast: What is herd immunity?

BBC News brings you the latest on the global coronavirus outbreak, featuring correspondents and expert guests.
In this edition, the BBC's Fergus Walsh, James Gallagher and Tulip Mazumdar compare the UK government's coronavirus strategy with others in the rest of the world.
Listen here.

Ventilator production stepped up in Europe

German and Italy are ramping up production of medical ventilators to meet expected peak epidemic demand. They cost $17,000 each.
According to Reuters, Germany has ordered 10,000 ventilators, Italy has ordered 5,000.
Factories in overdrive in Europe. Italy is getting the army involved in helping the production line.
As far as I’m aware, the UK has one small manufacturer of ventilators that has 40% market share.

Mosques call worshippers to 'pray from home'

Ordinarily Muslim worshippers are called to pray by a muezzin who recites phrases asking people to come pray in the mosque. It's a staple part of the day in many Muslim countries. But now, as many countries try to reduce the risk of infection, some mosques are asking worshippers to pray from home. This highly unusual call to prayer has been heard in Kuwait.

Iran reports 97 new deaths

The death toll from coronavirus in hotspot Iran has jumped by 97 to reach a total of 611, reports state TV in the country. Health officials say 12,729 people have been infected. On Wednesday reports using satellite photos appeared to show Iran exacavating mass burial pits.

No need to panic, says ex-patient

One of the first people in Scotland to contract Covid-19 has told the BBC about his recovery from the disease.
The man, in his 50s, was diagnosed almost two weeks ago following a trip to Italy. He returned home on 25 February, a Tuesday.
"I felt no symptoms. I was completely fine and went to work on the Wednesday and Thursday. Later on the Thursday evening, I started to feel a bit of a flu coming on. I had a mild fever, I felt shivery - but the biggest symptom was aches and pains, particularly in my legs.
"I was feverish. That continued through Thursday night and I didn't sleep too well."
On 1 March, he was diagnosed and hospitalised. But from this point on, he said his symptoms did not develop any further.
"By the time I went to hospital, I was feeling fine. The mild flu symptoms quickly dissipated, I had no leg pain, no fever, no cough and no shortness of breath."
He said he wanted to tell his story to the BBC so that people did not panic about exposure to the disease.

Jet2 cancels all flights to Spain

All Jet2 flights to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands have been cancelled with immediate effect, the British low-cost airline has announced. It operates flights from nine UK airports.
On Friday Spain declared a national emergency, closings bars, shops and restaurants.
"We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us," the company said in a statement.
Flight tracking website Flight Radar 24 shows seven planes turning around mid-air to return to Britain.

Abu Dhabi Louvre closes

The Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi has said it will close to the public from Sunday until the end of March.
The Gulf emirate's government announced on Saturday it was shutting major tourism and cultural venues, including the offshoot of the famous Paris museum and the Ferrari World theme park, because of the outbreak, Reuters news agency says.

22 new cases in Wales

There are 22 news cases of coronavirus in Wales, Public Health Wales has announced.
It brings the total number in the country to 60.

Spain cancels Easter processions

Huge street processions are an important part of Easter celebrations in Spain. Holy Week sees thousands of people flock to see religious orders walking through towns and cities carrying crosses, and floats carrying icons. But in the Seville and Castille and Leon regions, the Semana Santa procesessions in mid-April have been cancelled by the Order of Brotherhoods, reports Spanish news agency Efe.

The 'cult' blamed for S Korea's virus outbreak

The Shincheonji Church in South Korea is a secretive group that some say is more like a cult.
Many of the cases detected in the country have been linked to the group, leading it to be singled out for public criticism. Its secretive practices are alleged to have helped the virus spread.
The group has in recent weeks apologised for its role in the outbreak, and says it's been co-operating with authorities. But officials say some members are still refusing to be tested.

Travellers in tears in Amsterdam airport

• Amsterdam Schipol Airport, one of the biggest transport hubs in Europe, now feels like a small regional airport because of the lack of passengers.
  There is one notable queue, at customer services, and it chicanes right around the side of Departure Hall 3. These are people trying to work out how to get home, and how to travel to the countries that are closing their borders. One significant travel ban is the US one imposed by President Trump, which has been in force since the early hours. It means airport staff here must turn away anyone who has been in one of the 26 European countries that share a passport-free travel agreement known as the Schengen Zone over the past two weeks.
  Although US citizens are exempt, I’ve spoken to a large group of American students in the queue who were backpacking around Europe but have cut their holiday short by two weeks to try to get home now. Karen, 21, from Seattle organised the trip. She lifts her face mask to tell me there had been many arguments between the group about whether they should leave or stay. They ultimately voted to go in case of any further restrictions.
  Further back in the queue, Stefania, an Italian studying in Bulgaria, is trying to return home to Sicily, but all flights to Italy are cancelled. She’s trying, like many in the queue, to get a refund, and then to work out another way to travel.
  In the past 48 hours there has been a domino effect on countries around the world imposing full or partial travel bans for foreign citizens - India, Russia, Norway, Israel and Argentina to name a few in a growing list.
  I’ve seen several people in tears here as they leave customer services. There are so many questions for the staff here. There’s now a 90-minute wait for those at the back of the queue. It’s an enormous task for the airlines, which are dealing with an unprecedented crisis.
  

1,500 new cases in Spain

Spain's health ministry says it has recorded 1,500 more cases of Covid-19 since 18:00 on Friday evening local time (17:00 GMT).
The figures include nearly 1,000 more cases in the capital Madrid.
The total number of confirmed infections in Spain now stands at 5,753 as of 12:00 local time.
The death toll is 136, while 517 people have recovered.
Spain's government is expected to approve a state of emergency, which can be maintained for 15 days before requiring parliamentary approval for an extension.
The state of emergency can limit people's movements, temporarily requisition property (such as private hospitals), ration essential goods and guarantee products and services.
It also centralises decision-making instead of leaving decisions to regional governments.
Madrid has ordered the closure of all non essential businesses.
The Spanish stock market fell more than 20% in the last week.

Half-marathon going ahead in Bath

The organisers of the Bath half-marathon in western England are defying coronavirus concerns, saying that the Sunday race will go ahead. It's up to the runners if they want to compete and additional hand wash facilities will be available, organisers say.

US visitors head home

Many visitors from the United States are making their way home, after fears about further disruption from coronavirus caused them to cut short their holidays.

What does coronavirus do to the body?

Coronavirus only emerged in December last year, but already the world is dealing with a pandemic.
For most the disease is mild, but some people die.
So how is the virus attacking the body, why are some people being killed and how is it treated?
Read more here.

Olympics will go ahead, says Japanese PM

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead as planned in July, despite coronavirus concerns resulting in the postponement of many sporting events.
But he added that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would have the final decision whether Tokyo 2020 went ahead.
Japan has had more than 1,400 cases and 28 deaths resulting from coronavirus.
Read more here

Netherlands cases rise to 959

The number of recorded infections in the Netherlands has risen by 155 to 959 - a jump of nearly 20%.
The country's health ministry said two people had died from the virus since the outbreak began in the country.

UK flights to Spain turned back

We have more on our earlier report about the Jet2 flight cancellations.
Jet2 planes from the UK to Spain turned around in mid-air as the British low-cost airline announced it was cancelling all flights to the country.
Confirmed cases in Spain have risen by 1,500 in 24 hours and thousands of people have been placed in lockdown.
The country's death toll has reached 120 and it is set to enter a two-week state of emergency.
Read more about Jet2's move here .

UK deaths jump to 21

The total number of deaths in the UK from coronavirus has almost doubled in the past 24 hours, going up from 11 to 21, the National Health Service says.

'Ridiculous scenes' in London supermarket

Photos of emptied shelves in the UK, US and Australia have become commonplace in recent days, but the chaotic scene in one supermarket in north London has shocked social media users. Michelle Davies criticised other shoppers for leaving nothing for other customers.
The UK government says panic buying is unncessary and has promised that supermarkets won't run out of supplies . Several shops have imposed quotas on essential items including toilet paper and hand-sanitiser.
Michelle Davies tweeted:
Ridiculous scenes in Tesco Colney Hatch this morning. Shelves cleared like there's been a riot. The selfishness of some people filling their trolleys with multiple packs and leaving none for others is staggering. (Plus so much for getting here early to avoid crowded spaces.)
Meanwhile a former MP has appealed for a "national kindness effort" after seeing a man in another north London supermarket refusing to give an elderly woman one of the last packets of pasta in the store.

Google clarifies Trump website comment

It appears that President Trump startled Google when he announced on Friday night that it had 1,700 engineers working on a website to help determine who should get coronavirus tests and where.
"It’s going to be very quickly done...they have made tremendous progress," said the president.
Google's PR team has since clarified that its sister company, Verily Life Sciences, is working on such a tool, but that it is only at the "early stages of development".
The tech firm added that while it intended to start testing it in the San Francisco Bay Area soon - possibly at the start of next week - it would take time to expand its provision across the country.
Google Communications tweeted:
"Statement from Verily: "We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for Covid-19 testing. Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time."

Arab countries step up measures

Several Arab countries have stepped up measures to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have cancelled all international flights, while the UAE has stopped flights to Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
All Gulf Arab states have confirmed coronavirus cases, but they remain relatively limited for now. No deaths have yet been reported and most of the cases have been traced back to Iran, which is the regional hotspot for the virus where the official death toll has risen to more than 600.
In addition to suspending flights, the UAE is no longer issuing visas and has closed tourist attractions such as its branch of the Louvre, while Dubai has banned hotels from holding weddings.
Saudi Arabia has cancelled sports events, which have recently become a major selling point of its nascent tourism industry.
In war-ravaged Yemen, the Houthi rebels have effectively blocked vital UN flights after closing Sanaa aiport.

More details about the UK deaths

Ten more people have died in the UK, bringing the total number of deaths to 21.
All patients were in "at-risk" groups, making them more vulnerable to the effects of the virus, the UK's chief medical officer Chris Whitty said.
The people were being cared for in hospitals in nine areas, including London, Birmingham and Leicester, north Middlesex and Chester.
The total number of confirmed cases in the UK has risen to 1,140, the NHS said, up from 798 on Friday.
Read more here

Dutch scientists 'find antibody'

A group of Dutch scientists believe they’ve found an antibody that could help to detect and prevent the coronavirus from being able to infect people.
It hasn’t been tested on humans - a process that will take months.
The researchers at the Erasmus Medical Centre and Utrecht University describe their discovery as an antibody to Sars2, the coronavirus causing the current pandemic (Covid-19).
The scientists were already working on an antibody for Sars1 and when the new coronavirus broke out, they said they had found that the same antibodies cross-reacted and blocked the infection.
Their findings are still being reviewed and the antibody is yet to be rigorously tested.
The researchers are hoping to convince a pharmaceutical company to support its mass production as a medicine which they believe would detect and prevent the spread of the virus.
A separate Covid-19 vaccine could take years to develop - by which point the virus may have disappeared.

First New York State death announced

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told local media on Saturday that an 82-year-old woman had become the state's first coronavirus-related death.
The woman had been suffering from emphysema and died at a Manhattan hospital.
The number of reported cases throughout New York state has risen to more than 500, Mr Cuomo added.

French 'yellow vests' flout ban

The "gilets jaunes" (yellow vest) protest movement took to the streets of Paris on Saturday, defying a government ban on gatherings of more than 100 people.
Several hundred people marched in the city, and police arrested 17.
The group frequently organise large anti-establishment protests to highlight rises in the the cost of living - particularly petrol.

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'We work with a smile, but we are scared'

A group of Spanish nurses have appealed to people to obey the quarantine measures and stay at home.
"We are afraid. Although we attend to you with a smile, we are scared," they wrote in a Facebook post.
"We have families, like you. Please do not aggravate the problem. We can't do more, we are saturated.".
Spain has declared a national emergency and announced 1,500 new cases on Saturday.
Spanish media are expecting the government to announce a lockdown similar to the quarantine in Italy, which would allow people out of their homes only in emergencies, to buy food or to go to work.

Temperature checks for people in contact with Trump

Everyone who comes into contact with President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence will have their temperature checked, the White House spokesperson Judd Deere says.
“Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President,” he said.
Journalist Courtney Subramanian tweeted that a reporter has been escorted out of the White House briefing room after his temperature was found to be too high.
On Saturday Mr Trump tweeted a reminder of the measures people should take to avoid spreading the new coronavirus.

 Donald J. Trump    @realDonaldTrump


SOCIAL DISTANCING!

107K
13:47 - 14 Mar 2020

'It's virus-busy' in Washington DC

Stockpiling and panic buying seems to have stepped up a notch over the past few days, since President Donald Trump banned visitors from Europe's Schengen area and announced a national emergency.
Masks and hand sanitisers have been missing from shelves for weeks - now pharmacies have started putting up signs outside the shop doors, pre-emptively warning people they are out of stock. Even sanitising wipes and thermometers are limited to two or four per customer - and appear to be sold out on most days.
People have also been stocking up on food in anticipation of the need to self-isolate or work from home. At one local supermarket, the check out queue was so long it wound the entire way around the store - all the way to the front of the shop, and then back to near the cashiers - with customers waiting about 20 minutes before they could pay for their groceries.
I asked the cashier if it was normally this busy on a Saturday morning. She replied with a resigned smile: "It's virus busy."

Trump has tested for the virus

President Donald Trump has said he took a test for the new coronavirus on Friday night. He expects the results in the next one to two days, he told journalists at the White House.

US travel ban 'to be extended to the UK and Ireland'

The ban on travel to the US from many European countries is to be extended to the UK and Ireland following the rise in coronavirus cases there, President Trump appeared to confirm.
He said the measure was "going to be announced".
Earlier US media reported that the move was imminent.

16:52

US travel ban from UK and Ireland confirmed

The ban on travel to the US from UK and Ireland will begin at 00:00 Eastern time on Monday (04:00 GMT on Tuesday), US Vice-President Mike Pence has confirmed.
He said US citizens and US legal residents would still be able to return to the US from those countries after the ban came into effect.
They would be "funnelled through specific airports" and told to self-quarantine, he said.

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South Africa cases rise to 38

The official number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa has rise to 38, up from 24 on Friday.
Elsewhere on the continent, more than 20 countries have been affected by the outbreak.
Egypt has the most reported infections - currently 93 - followed by its northern neighbours Algeria and Tunisia.

What's the latest from around Europe?

Several European countries have reported steep rises in infections and deaths in recent days, and the continent has become the new "epicentre" of the pandemic , according to the World Health Organization.
Governments are taking emergency measures to curb the outbreak, including school closures, travel bans and economic stimulus packages to protect jobs.
If you're just joining us, here's a recap of some of the biggest developments today:

• Spain has recorded 1,500 more cases of Covid-19 since Friday evening - nearly 1,000 of these are in the capital, Madrid. This brings the national total to 191 deaths and 6,046 infections, and to curb the spread the government is poised to declare a 15-day national lockdown on Monday. This means people would be allowed out only for emergencies or work, or to buy food.
  
• Italy continues to be the worst-hit country in Europe. Its official death toll has jumped 14% to 1,441, and total confirmed cases have risen to 21,157.
  
• Denmark reported its first death from the virus - an 81-year-old who was already in hospital for a serious illness.
  
• The Czech government has ordered shops and restaurants to close for 10 days. Schools have already been closed in the country and bans are in place on public events like sports games and concerts.
  
• Norway has announced that it will temporarily close all its airports from Monday 0800 CET (0700 GMT) to stop the virus from spreading
  

Norway will close airports and ports from Monday

All airports and ports in Norway will be shut from 0800 local time on Monday, Prime Minister Erna Solberg has said.
All Norwegians abroad will be able to return as aircraft with citizens on board will be allowed to land, Ms Solberg confirmed.
The country reported its second death from coronavirus on Saturday, with 907 confirmed cases.
The government is in talks with Norwegian Air regarding the airlifting of medical equipment from China.

Washing hands no longer 'a luxury'

Ireland's deputy prime minister says the coronavirus is going to change the way in which everyone lives – and that hand washing can no longer be seen as "a luxury" if vulnerable people are to be protected.
Simon Coveney was speaking after a meeting between senior ministers from the Irish government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Body Shop suspends demos and tester pots

The international beauty brand says it is stopping demonstrations of make-up and other products, and will no longer supplying tester pots for customers to try out goods. Trying out make-up products is seen as a core part of the consumer's experience.
The company wants to minimise skin-to-skin contact in stores, it said in an email to customers.
"At the Body Shop our store teams always follow strict hygiene protocols. We have reinforced these in line with the latest World Health Organization guidelines," it said.
Earlier in the week MAC Cosmestics introduced a "no-touch" policy at its counters.

Jump in Czech coronavirus cases

There are now 189 coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic - a rise of 39 since the morning.
Neighbouring Slovakia is reporting 44 positive cases. Both countries have introduced draconian measures to slow the spread of the virus. The authorities say the measures will be tightened even further if the situation deteriorates.
Meanwhile, Slovenian TV is reporting the first coronavirus death in the country.

France reports more than 800 new cases

France now has 4,499 confirmed cases, up from 3,661 on Friday, officials say.
Some 91 people have died in the country after getting the virus, up from 79 on Friday.

More airports in Yemen to close

Yemen's government says it is suspending all flights to and from airports under its control for two weeks from 18 March.
Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed's office said there would be an exemption for flights for humanitarian purposes.
The main airports his government controls are Aden, Sayoun and Mukalla.
Earlier on Saturday, Houthi rebels said they were closing the capital Sanaa's airport. It means United Nations flights can no longer fly into Sanaa.
All other flights to Sanaa had already been banned by the Saudi-led military coalition that is backing the government against the Houthis.

Wuhan medics visit Rome

Nine doctors and nurses from China who worked on the frontline of the first coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan visited the Italian capital Rome on Saturday.
They brought supplies, and shared their experiences of tackling the virus at a hospital in the Italian capital which specialises in infectious diseases.
Speaking to journalists outside the Spallanzani hospital, they said that they believed the Italian doctors they had met in Rome were doing a very good job, and that the measures the Italian government had taken across the country met the international standard required.
They said that in China, they had learned that detecting infection early and quarantining early was very important in bringing the virus under control. They also said that releasing information to the media regularly was important for transparency.

France announces sweeping restrictions

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has ordered the closure of all non-essential public locations from midnight (23:00 GMT Saturday) in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The measure applies to restaurants, cafes, cinemas and nightclubs, as well as "non-essential" businesses.
Mr Philippe also called on French people to reduce their travel, especially between towns.

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UK deaths double in 24 hours
en more people in the UK have died in the last 24 hours after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 21.
The UK government's chief medical adviser said the patients were all in "at-risk" groups from across England.
The total number of confirmed cases in the UK has reached 1,140 while 37,746 people have been tested.
It comes as US President Donald Trump decided to suspend all travel between the US and the UK and Ireland .
Meanwhile France has ordered non-essential locations used by the public to close , and has asked citizens to go out as little as possible. Several European countries have closed their borders or shut their airports.
US vice president Mike Pence said the ban would begin at midnight on Monday eastern standard time (04:00 GMT), following a "unanimous recommendation" from health experts.
The US has already banned travel from 26 European countries .
Of the latest deaths in the UK, eight were men aged over 80 and all but one were known to have had underlying health conditions.
They were being treated in hospitals in Buckinghamshire, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leicester, London and Chester.
Prof Chris Whitty, the UK government's chief medical adviser, said: "I understand this increase in the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 will be a cause for concern for many. The public should know every measure we are taking is seeking to save lives and protect the most vulnerable."

Most of the confirmed UK cases are in England. There have been 121 confirmed cases in Scotland , 60 in Wales and 34 in Northern Ireland .

What do I do if I...

Have symptoms: If you are experiencing a new, continuous cough and/or a fever - defined as a temperature of above 37.8C - you should self-isolate at home for at least seven days, according to guidance released on Friday by Public Health England (PHE).
People with mild symptoms who are self-isolating at home are not currently being tested. All hospital patients with flu-like symptoms are being tested.
Live with or been in close contact with a positive case: The seven day isolation period now applies to everyone regardless of where you might have travelled or if you have had close contact with a confirmed case.
Read more here.

People who are self-isolating with mild symptoms are no longer being tested for the virus. The government said on Friday it estimated the true number of UK cases to be around 5,000 to 10,000.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been meeting with officials at Downing Street to discuss the pandemic.

A mother and her newborn baby are among the latest confirmed to have the virus in England.
Medics are trying to confirm whether the baby, who was tested at North Middlesex Hospital, was infected during birth or before, according to the Sun newspaper .
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said there was no evidence the virus can be passed on from pregnant women to babies before birth, but that due to how little is known about the new virus it would continue to update its guidance.
Government advice adds there is "no clinical evidence" to suggest the virus can be transmitted through breast milk.
"Infection can be spread to the baby in the same way as to anyone in close contact with you," it says.

Analysis by Nick Triggle - Health Correspondent
The increase in deaths is obviously alarming for the public - as well as being a tragedy for the families involved.
What we don't know is the extent to which coronavirus played a role in their deaths.
We only know they had it when they died.
Every patient death announced in the coronavirus outbreak in the UK has been a person who has had underlying health conditions.
That is a term that covers a range of different illnesses from heart disease and diabetes to asthma.
There is certainly transmission of the virus within hospital - on Thursday three quarters of those patients with coronavirus in intensive care had not been abroad to an affected country.
They may have caught it in the community and the Covid-19 illness they developed lead to their admission or they could have caught it in hospital when they were already ill.
There are more than 1,500 deaths a day in the UK on average and what is certain is that growing numbers of people who die are going to have tested positive for coronavirus.

People visiting elderly and vulnerable relatives have been reminded to take extra care, after the government released new advice .
Care home providers should ask anyone who is "generally unwell" not to visit, the advice says.
Meanwhile, government sources said mass gatherings might soon be banned in the UK to ease pressure on emergency services. It is thought a ban could take effect as early as next weekend.

Events still set to go ahead include the Grand National in April, the 75th anniversary VE Day commemorations and Chelsea Flower Show in May, and Glastonbury Festival in June.
The increase in cases in the UK comes as people continue to stockpile food and household items. The government has said there was "no need" for people to do so but has also relaxed restrictions on delivery hours for shops to make sure they remain stocked.
Online supermarket Ocado has taken its app offline due to "performance issues driven by continued high demand" while the website has crashed for many users.