Wednesday was a big day for many countries around the world, following the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration that the coronavirus crisis has transformed into a pandemic. The United States leads the way in announcing changes.
Trump Bans Travel from Europe
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he will ban most travels from Europe starting Friday, explaining that the move was necessary to ensure that the American masses will be protected and the CoVID-19 strain will be contained.
According to the New York Times, while the travel restrictions will be placed for 30 days, Trump clarified that the United Kingdom is exempted.
Experts noted that Trump's declaration appears to be a sign that he is finally acknowledging the severity of the global coronavirus following earlier remarks about the U.S. having a strong defense against the novel virus.
Trump went on to urge Americans to stop traveling if their trips are not of high importance. On the other hand, he retained his anticipation about the CoVID-19 crisis ending soon.
St. Patrick's Day Parade Canceled
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday that the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City will not push through this year as a precautionary measure.
In a statement, Cuomo explained that organizers are discussing a potential later date for the festivities, The Guardian reported. Usually held on March 17, the parade is known to attract millions of people not just from the U.S. but around the world.
The St. Patrick's Day parade is a staple event in the country and one of the biggest festivals. However, even the traditional event that has been running for centuries crumbled due to the CoVID-19 threat.
NBA Suspends Current Season
Aside from St. Patrick's Day, another mammoth event in the country has been suspended, following the news that a Utah Jazz player tested positive of the coronavirus.
The NBA announced Wednesday that the current season has been suspended, but no date has been provided as of yet regarding the resumption of games, CNN reported.
The suspension of this NBA season kicks off Thursday despite some teams still having up to 18 games left in their regular season schedules. It remains to be seen whether new CoVID-19 announcements will be made among NBA players.
U.S. Death Toll at 37
The death toll in the country climbed to 37 on Wednesday, with head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief Anthony Fauci warning the Americas that "it's going to get worse."
According to The Guardian, there are now over 1,000 coronavirus cases in the country and hard-hit Seattle has been shutting down schools in a bid to prevent infections among students and teachers.
Fauci further warned that being complacent will not do the job in containing the fast-spreading CoVID-19 strain. He said that if not enough is done to prevent further infections the death and infection tolls could climb "in many, many millions."
White House Orders Classification of CoVID-19 Talks
The White House reportedly order federal health officials to consider coronavirus meetings as classified amid the country's battle against the virus that already killed thousands around the world and infected over a thousand Americans.
Four Trump administration officials told Reuters that the move could hamper the government's supposed response to the ongoing crisis. They revealed that a huge number of classified discussions related to the coronavirus situation are being held at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
"These should not be classified meetings. It was unnecessary," one of the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed.
The classification order came in January and for the officials who spoke out about the issue, holding key information about the CoVID-19 situation in the U.S. potentially delayed the government and health authorities' supposed quick response in containment and prevention.
Spokesman from the National Security Council (NSC) John Ullyot reiterated that the council has been encouraging "radical transparency" since the coronavirus situation started.
