US President Donald Trump has announced that the US will suspend "all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days" beginning Friday at midnight as a result of the continuing coronavirus outbreak.
The US Department of Homeland Security later clarified the move does not apply to US citizens or their families, and does apply to travellers who have been in the European Union's Schengen Area within the past two weeks.
Trump added that "these restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground".
Earlier Wednesday, the World Health Organisation declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic.
After Trump's address, a DHS statement indicated the suspension applied to "most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States".
The countries involved comprise the EU's Schengen Area, among which travel is permitted without a passport. They are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, according to DHS.
The restrictions do not apply to countries such as the UK or Ireland and will not impact trade or the movement of goods from Europe to the US. The rules also do not appear to affect flights from the US to Europe.
DHS said the suspension did not apply to "legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of US citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation."
Meanwhile, Guatemala has banned European citizens from entering the country, India has suspended most visa for foreigners until 15 April and Uganda has asked travellers from the UK, Austria, Belgium China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Spain, South Korea, Sweden and the US to consider postponing all non-essential travel. Those entering the country from these areas will be asked to enter self-isolation for two weeks, even if they are not showing symptoms.