Trump would consider limits on travel to US' virus-prone areas

One day after imposing a 30-day ban on people coming to the US from Europe, President Donald Trump said Thursday that he could restrict domestic travel to regions of the United States where the coronavirus becomes "too hot".

Trump was asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he was considering limits on travel inside the country to hard-hit states like Washington or California.

He said the subject hadn't yet been discussed, and then added: "Is it a possibility? Yes, if somebody gets a little bit out of control, if an area gets too hot."

He didn't elaborate, except to say that a containment zone that New York state had imposed around the city of New Rochelle in suburban Westchester County was "good". The president also said that he is canceling or deferring several political events in the coming weeks.

On Capitol Hill, Republican Congressman Mark Walker of North Carolina said there is "a growing frustration among members as a whole to get more definitive answers" from the administration about testing, CNN.com reported.

He said the CDC "struggled to give a really strong answer" on why the US has not been able to duplicate testing used in places such as South Korea, the website reported.

Trump's address to the nation on Wednesday and the Federal Reserve on Thursday making a $1.5 trillion intervention in short-term funding markets didn't calm the market.

The dumping of US stocks accelerated with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling nearly 10 percent in its worst day since the 1987 financial crash. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq joined the Dow in bear market territory. The S&P 500 shed more than 7 percent early, pushing the index into bear market territory and triggering a 15-minute halt in trading shortly after the market's open.

Trump said on Wednesday night in a televised appearance from the Oval Office that he was suspending most travel from Europe for 30 days, beginning on Friday, and imposed a 30-day ban on foreigners who in the previous two weeks have been in the 26 countries that make up Europe's Schengen Area.

The limits will exempt Americans. The ban sparked a strong reply from the European Union,  which condemned the move even as many nations on the Continent moved to tighten their own restrictions on the movement of people.

"The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," it said in a statement. "The European Union disapproves of the fact that the US decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation."

The White House said Trump doesn't plan to take a coronavirus test even though days ago he came into contact with a Brazilian government aide who has tested positive and some Republicans who are in voluntary quarantine.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell canceled a recess that had been planned for next week, as House Democrats and the administration continued to negotiate a deal for a sweeping coronavirus relief package. Meanwhile, the White House and the US Capitol were closed to tours until April 1.

As of Thursday night, there were at least 1,663 cases of the coronavirus reported in the United States, according to statistics compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported cases in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Globally, there were 4,720 deaths as of Thursday and 128,343 total cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University's count.

On Thursday, more US sports leagues suspended or canceled their seasons.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Hockey League (NHL) suspended their seasons, joining the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The NHL announced that it would "pause" its season, calling it "no longer appropriate to try to continue to play games at this time", particularly in light of two players from the NBA's Utah Jazz testing positive for the virus.

Baseball then delayed the start of the regular season by at least two weeks and halted spring training as of 4 pm, following a conference call between the 30 teams and commissioner Rob Manfred. Opening day had been scheduled for March 26. MLB said it "will announce the effects on the schedule at an appropriate time and will remain flexible as events warrant, with the hope of resuming normal operations as soon as possible".

In New York City, Broadway shows went dark on Thursday after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a ban of gatherings with more than 500 people starting at 5 pm.

The shows will stay closed at least until April 12, according to the Broadway League. Broadway national tours across the country also have canceled performances. For facilities with an occupancy of 500 people or fewer, Cuomo said the number will be reduced by 50 percent.

The state had 328 confirmed cases of the virus as of Thursday afternoon, including 95 in the city, state officials said. Of those infected, 47 were hospitalized. The epicenter of the outbreak in New York continues to be New Rochelle, just north of the city. The county has 148 cases.

In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy recommended the cancellation of all public gatherings of more than 250 people, including concerts, sporting events and parades.

New York City's subway service, which carries about 5.5 million people each weekday, could be scaled back as the novel coronavirus outbreak leads to falling ridership, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) official said Thursday.

An MTA spokesman said subway ridership on Wednesday had fallen almost 20 percent, and bus ridership had fallen 15 percent, compared with a similar day last year.

Sarah Feinberg, the interim chief of the MTA's subway and bus systems, also said that if federal or state health officials order the MTA to alter service, it would do so. "We take our guidance from them," she said.

State and local officials have said that the subway is safe to ride, but have urged riders to avoid crowded cars and to stagger their commutes. They have also encouraged biking or walking to work, or working from home whenever possible. Subway cars are being disinfected every 72 hours, and stations are being sanitized twice a day.

In Ohio, election officials were scrambling to find poll workers for the state's March 17 primary as a significant number of people scheduled to work cancel amid concerns over the coronavirus, The Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday.

Italy, which is under a national lockdown,  reported more than 15,000 infections through Thursday, a jump of more than 2,000, and more than 1,000 deaths.

Outside of Europe, India joined the countries imposing drastic travel limits. The Philippine government halted domestic travel in and out of the capital, Manila.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office said that his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, had been tested after developing flulike symptoms and was in isolation. Trudeau wasn't exhibiting any symptoms, but decided to work from home until learning of his wife's results.