grcreativebox

[ad_1]

(CNN) — A Delta airlines flight was held before takeoff Monday in New York after a passenger said they were exposed to someone who had tested positive for coronavirus, a person involved with airport operations told CNN. Flight 2503 was scheduled to fly from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Seattle Monday night. Just before takeoff, the individual was informed that they were exposed to someone with coronavirus, the source said. “The passenger is being questioned, the information is being supplied to the CDC. They will make a decision what becomes of this flight and the rest of us,” the pilot announced to passengers on the flight. “So at this point, all I can say is just please be patient as we work through this and figure it out. We’ll give you as much information as we know, as soon as we know it.”Delta confirmed the incident and said that the plane was being cleaned.”We continue to follow all guidelines from the CDC and local health officials,” Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo told CNN. “The safety and health of our customers and crew remain our top priority.” Chung said that despite the announcement, he did not see any passengers panicking.Thomas ChungThomas Chung was on the flight and told CNN that the Delta crew were professional as they kept passengers informed and got the plane cleaned. Passengers were allowed to board again and continue to their destination, he said. Although the passengers were annoyed at the delay, he said everyone seemed to understand.”I really feel bad for that person. They most likely didn’t know at all. They might also be scared. Best wishes to that person,” Chung tweeted.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked people feeling unwell, those who believe they may have coronavirus or those who are awaiting test results to avoid travel until they are cleared by a medical professional.On Wednesday, JetBlue banned a passenger after he flew without notifying the crew that he was awaiting results of a coronavirus test, the airline said.The passenger flying from JFK to West Palm Beach told the crew on arrival that he had been notified that the test was positive. Cleaning began immediately for areas he went through, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said. “Last night’s event put our crewmembers, customers, and federal and local officials in an unsettling situation that could have easily been avoided, and as such, this customer will not be permitted to fly on JetBlue in the future,” the airline said in a statement Thursday.CNN’s Amanda Jackson, Sonia Moghe and Mirna Alsharif contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

(CNN) — Some states are ordering the closure of bars and restaurants and hospitality giants Disney and MGM are shuttering their resorts as coronavirus continues to spread across the United States and officials try to contain it.Disney said Sunday it was closing all of its stores in North America and Disney owned and operated locations at Downtown Disney in Anaheim and Disney Springs in Orlando beginning Tuesday. The company’s hotels at Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, it said. Disney also announced last week that its Walt Disney World theme park resort in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California would close. MGM said Sunday it was suspending operations at all of its Las Vegas properties, with casinos closing Monday.”This is a time of uncertainty across our country and the globe and we must all do our part to curtail the spread of this virus,” chairman and CEO Jim Murren said in a statement. On Friday, MGM had announced that nightclubs, spas and fitness centers were to close.”Despite our commitment to dedicating additional resources for cleaning and promoting good health, while making difficult decisions to close certain aspects of our operations, it is now apparent that this is a public health crisis that requires major collective action if we are to slow its progression,” Murren said. Reservations will not be taken for dates before May 1.Meantime, Ohio, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Washington have ordered bars and restaurants take strict measures aimed at limiting the spread of the disease.There are at least 3,485 coronavirus cases in 49 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Washington DC, according to government agencies and the CDC. At least 65 people have died. West Virginia remains the only state without any confirmed cases.Bars and restaurants in the state of Ohio were shut down beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday night, Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday. Carryout and food delivery will still be allowed, the governor said.A similar order was announced in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday that bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs will be closed. Restaurant capacities must also be reduced by half.Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, later announced the closure of “bars, nightclubs, restaurants (except takeout/delivery), entertainment venues and gyms until March 31 unless extended,” in a tweet Sunday night. According to the tweet, grocery stores will remain open.Garcetti said he was taking the executive action to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in Los Angeles. Drive-through and pick-upIn Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all restaurants and bars in five counties to close their dine-in facilities for 14 days starting Monday. Businesses that offer takeout, delivery and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants to close, beginning at close of business Monday until March 30, he said Sunday. State officials are working to help coordinate food delivery with restaurants and delivery services. Drive-through and curbside pickup will be allowed, the governor said.Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said Sunday he’s banning on-premises eating and drinking at all restaurants and bars throughout the state but will still allow establishments to offer food for takeout or delivery. Baker also amended the state’s earlier guidance, prohibiting gatherings of 250 people or more, to now ban gatherings of over 25 people. Washington state will also shut down its bars and restaurants in an effort to mitigate coronavirus according to a statement from Gov. Jay Inslee Sunday. Inslee said he would sign the measure authorizing the shutdown Monday. Additionally the state will ban all gatherings larger than 50 people.Restaurants will be allowed to provide take out and delivery service. The ban will not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies.City by cityIn New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday night he will sign an executive order Monday limiting eateries and bars to takeout and delivery, and order the closure of nightclubs, movie theaters, small theaters and concert venues. The order will go into effect Tuesday at 9 a.m.New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell ordered all full-service restaurants in the city with seating capacity to close at 9 p.m. and asked that establishments attempt to reduce capacity by half. Meantime officials in Hoboken, New Jersey, announced a city-wide curfew starting Monday. Residents will be required to stay in their homes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with exceptions for people who are required to report to work, Mayor Ravinder Bhalla said Saturday. Bars and restaurants in Hoboken stopped being able to serve food inside their locations as of Sunday at 11 a.m. They “will be permitted to conduct food takeout and food delivery service only,” Bhalla said. More closures and curfews could be coming. Some businesses are making their own decisions on social distancing.Starbucks said Sunday it was moving to a “to go” model in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. In a news release, the company said it would close its café and patio seating areas for at least two weeks. Customers will still be able to order at the counter and via app or drive through.Chick-fil-A is also closing dining room seating. In a post on its website, the restaurant chain said customers would still have access to its drive-through service and that takeout, delivery and phone order options would be available in some locations.Curfews and closuresBut the decision on closing could be taken out of hospitality owners’ hands. Vice President Mike Pence said in a White House briefing Sunday that new guidelines regarding potential curfews and closures would be released Monday morning.”For a while, life is not going to be the way it used to be in the United States,” Fauci said. “We have to just accept that if we want to do what’s best for the American public.CNN’s Madeline Holcombe and Dakin Andone contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

(CNN) — The United States is suspending travel into the US from 28 European countries, now including the UK and Ireland, in a bid to halt the spread of novel coronavirus. With the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday, countries around the world have been revising their entry policies.Below are the restrictions in place at some key destinations. We’ll be expanding this story as the situation develops. United StatesOn Saturday, US Vice President Mike Pence announced that travel from the UK and Ireland will be suspended starting Monday night.This is in addition to the previous US ban applying to the 26 countries in the Schengen Area free movement zone: 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.Trump said Wednesday that there would be “exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings.”Later, guidance issued from the Department of Homeland Security clarified the ban did not apply to American citizens or their family members.The US already has other restrictions in place. Passengers who’ve been in China and Iran in the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter. US citizens who’ve been in China in the past 14 days can enter the US, but will be directed via one 11 airports where they’ll undergo health screening. The airports include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York (JFK or EWR), San Francisco, Seattle and Washington.AustraliaAustralia will require “all people” arriving in the country after midnight local time Monday to self-quarantine for 14 days, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Sunday at a news conference.He also announced a ban on all cruise ships from docking in Australia.Passengers who have been in China, Iran, South Korea or Italy in the last 14 days are not allowed to enter or transit through Australia for 14 days, from the time they exited those countries. This does not apply to airline crew, Australian nationals and their immediate family members, or New Zealand nationals resident in Australia, who are instead required to self-isolate for 14 days. AustriaAustria has introduced border checks and placed a ban on all arrivals from Italy, China’s Hubei Province, Iran and South Korea, with the exception of those with a medical certificate no more than four days old that confirms they are not affected by coronavirus.However, travel through Austria is possible, as long as no stops are made in the country.CambodiaCambodia is imposing a ban on foreign nationals arriving from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the US for 30 days. The ban will take effect on March 17, the Prime Ministers’ office said in a Twitter post. ChinaEffective March 16, all passengers arriving in Beijing from destinations abroad will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities starting Monday, Beijing’s municipal government announced. This process will be at the traveler’s own expense.Meanwhile, international business travelers will be required to stay at a select number of designated hotels in Beijing where they will be tested for the virus. They will not be allowed to leave until their test results have been returned.Countrywide, passengers arriving from Iran, Italy, Japan or Korea and traveling to Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai are subject to quarantine for 14 days. ColombiaPassengers arriving from China, France, Italy or Spain are required fill in a health registration form on arrival and self-isolate for 14 days. President Ivan Duque also announced on Twitter that the country will close its border with Venezuela on March 14. CroatiaApart from Croatian nationals, passengers and airline crew who have been in China’s Hubei Province, Germany’s Heinsberg County, Iran, Italy, or South Korea’s Daegu City and Cheongdo province in the past 14 days will be placed in quarantine for 14 days. Nationals will be required to self-isolate. Other than Croatian nationals, passengers and airline crew who have been in all other regions of China and South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Czech RepublicOn Thursday, the Czech Republic declared a 30-day state of emergency and barred entry to non-residents from coronavirus-affected countries, as well as partially closing its borders. Outbound travel to high-risk countries is also banned. The ban applies to visitors from China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, UK, Norway, Denmark and France, and will come into force on Saturday, state broadcaster Radio Prague International reported in a tweet. DenmarkA border closure will be in effect in Denmark from March 14 until April 13. Danish citizens and those transporting goods will still be able to enter the country.Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the measures, saying: “We are in uncharted territory. We are doing something we’ve not done before.’ Adding ‘I’m sure we’ll get through this together.”GreeceGreece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Twitter on March 1 that the country wouldn’t be accepting any new asylum applications for at least one month due to the coronavirus outbreak. This move was to “increase the level of deterrence” at the country’s borders “to the maximum.”Hong KongPeople wearing face masks walk through a Hong Kong market on February 25, 2020. ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP via Getty ImagesPassengers who have been in or through South Korea or China’s Hubei Province in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter Hong Kong, and neither are Chinese nationals with a passport issued in Hubei. Hong Kong nationals and residents are exempt. Instead, they face a 14-day mandatory quarantine. Passengers arriving from or having been in China, Iran or Italy’s Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions in the past 14 days are subject to the quarantine.Starting March 14, this will be extended to passengers who’ve been in France (Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and Grand Est), Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia), Italy, Japan (Hokkaido) or Spain (La Rioja, Madrid and Pais Vasco). Passengers who have been in China, Iran or Italy’s Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Veneto regions are not allowed to enter if their permitted stay in Hong Kong is less than 14 days. Hong Kong passport-holders are exempt. As of March 16, Hong Kong’s government will enforce self quarantine for travelers entering from Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom and Egypt.HungaryIran nationals, other than airline crew, are not allowed to enter the country. IndiaIndia is now suspending all tourist visas and enforcing a 14-day quarantine on all travelers, including returning Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Spain. IndonesiaApart from Indonesian nationals and residents, passengers and airline crew who have been in China, or affected regions of Italy, South Korea and Iran in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter or transit through Indonesia.ItalyPassengers arriving as tourists are not allowed to enter via airports in the following areas: Alessandria, Asti, Lombardy, Modena, Novara, Padova, Parma, Pesaro and Urbino, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Treviso-Venice, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli. JapanJapan is banning entry on passengers who have been in affected regions of China, South Korea or Italy within the last 14 days. Japanese nationals are exempt, as are their spouses and children, if the relations are verified. JordanJordan’s Prime Minister Omar al Razaz on Saturday announced the suspension of all air travel of incoming and outgoing into the kingdom starting March 17 until further notice with the exception of air cargo.Razaz announced the closure of all the land, sea and air borders to travelers except the members of diplomatic missions and international organizations who will be exempt as long as they abide by the Ministry of Health stipulations for the 14 days of self-quarantine. MacauThe Macau government has introduced several measures including denying entry to visitor who have been to China’s Hubei province within the past two weeks, unless they can provide a medical certificate stating they have not been infected with coronavirus.Travelers who have visited South Korea, Italy or Iran in the 14 days prior to their arrival are required to undertake a 14-day medical observation at a designated venue.Those who’ve traveled to Germany, France, Spain and Japan within 14 days of arriving will need to submit to a medical examination as well as a 14-day medical observation at a designated venue.Residents of Macau currently in any of the affected areas will be requested to self isolate for two weeks upon their return.Malaysia Malaysia has imposed a ban on travelers from affected areas of China, Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy and Denmark. In addition, all Malaysians returning from any of these countries are required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.MoroccoMorocco has decided to suspend all international flights to and from its territory “until further notice” as part of measures to tackle the coronavirus, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday.It came a day after the north African kingdom said it was suspending all flights to and from Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and Belgium. It was not immediately clear if the suspension went into immediate effect.New ZealandNew Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced March 14 that all travelers entering the country will be required to “self-isolate” for 14 days.The new measures go into effect at midnight March 15 local time and apply to nearly every traveler, regardless of nationality, including New Zealand citizens and residents.The only exemptions are the Pacific Islands — but travelers from there will also need to self-isolate if they show symptoms.The measures will be reviewed in 16 days, she added.NorwayAnyone traveling to Norway from outside the Nordic region must self-isolate for two weeks, according to the Norwegian Health Directorate. The restrictions put in place March 12 are scheduled to last until March 26.PeruRussiaNationals of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran and Italy are now allowed in Russia, but exemptions are made for airline crew and foreign nationals resident in Russia.Passengers who have been in China, France, Germany, South Korea or Spain and are planning to stay in Moscow must report themselves to the authorities by phone and stay self-isolated for 14 days.Saudi ArabiaApart from Saudi nationals, passengers who have transited through or have been in Bahrain, China, Taiwan, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Turkey or the United Arab Emirates in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter.Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina are also under a temporary ban, unless the pilgrims are nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates who have obtained permits.Spain A state of emergency has already been declared in Spain and strict lockdown policies including restrictions on travel in and out of the country are expected. On Saturday at least five Spain-bound airplanes belonging to low-cost carrier Jet2 turned back to the UK midair. The company said it was acting in response to measures introduced by the Spanish government.SingaporeFrom midnight on Monday local time, all travelers entering Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom within the last 14 days will be issued with a 14-day “Stay-Home Notice” and will have to provide proof of the place where they will stay.Sri LankaThe Sri Lankan government announced Thursday a cancellation of visas on arrival, but it has not yet been confirmed when this will be put in force. Passengers arriving from Italy, Iran and South Korea will be quarantined for 14 days. South KoreaVisitors who have been in China’s Hubei Province in the past 14 days, and passport holders from that region, are not permitted entry. Korean visas issued by the Wuhan Consulate in the Hubei Province are invalidated, as are visas issued to nationals of Japan (at Korean Diplomatic Missions in Japan) before March 9, 2020. This does not apply to airline crew. All travelers from Europe will be required to go through temperature checks, a medical survey, and download an app so their temperature can be monitored daily.All travelers are also required to submit their reachable phone numbers upon arrival.ThailandThailand has suspended its visa exemption policies for travelers from Hong Kong, South Korea and Italy, while visa on arrival has been stopped for 18 countries: Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and China.Under the new measures, travelers must apply for visas in advance and present a medical certificate proving they are free of coronavirus. TurkeyTurkey has halted travel to and from nine European countries: Germany, Spain, France, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. Nationals of those countries are not allowed to enter the country. Passengers who have transited through or been in Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Korea or Sweden in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter or transit through Turkey. Turkish nationals and residents are exempt. VietnamTravelers who have been in the 26 European countries in the Schengen Area, plus the UK, within the past 14 days will not be permitted to enter or transit through Vietnam. The travel restrictions come into effect at midnight Sunday local time, and will last 30 days.Mia Alberti, Joshua Bergliner, Stephen Collinson, James Frater, Madeline Holcombe, Ivana Kottasová, Chermaine Lee, Claudia Rebaza, Daniel Silva, Jomana Karadsheh and Gul Tuysuz contributed to this report

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

From Venice to Beijing to Bethlehem, places that are usually packed with visitors are now unusually quiet as people practice “social distancing” to help limit the spread of coronavirus.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

An insider’s guide to New Zealand’s most beautiful destinations, including some off-the-beaten track gems.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

With the building closed to visitors to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, a group of rockhopper penguins were allowed to leave their habitat and explore the rest of the aquarium. “Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals,” the aquarium told the Chicago Tribune. “Introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviors.”The aquarium posted to Twitter a video of one of the penguins, named Wellington, meeting some fish in the Amazon exhibit. “Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising!” the aquarium said in the tweet. “The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor.” The adorable video of Wellington, waddling around with his flippers out, has been viewed more than 30,000 times as of Sunday evening and is putting smiles on people’s faces during a time of national hardship. “Thank you Shedd Aquarium for continuing to post…we need our smiles wherever we can get them,” one Twitter user responded. The aquarium, which is planning to be closed until March 29, is just one of dozens of attractions that have closed across the country to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Sunday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close to the public beginning Monday night and going to March 30. Because Chicagoans won’t have the flowing alcohol at bars to relieve their coronavirus anxieties, we can only hope the Shedd Aquarium will keep the cute animal content coming.

[ad_2]

Source link