US heads for biggest shutdown amid fears for Donald Trump’s health

The United States was heading for an unprecedented peacetime shutdown today amid forecasts that as many as 150 million Americans could end up infected with the coronavirus.

The warning came as concerns about Donald Trump’s own health grew after he came into contact with a Brazilian diplomat who had the virus at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida. His daughter Ivanka was also pictured standing next to an Australian minister who has tested positive. As the gravity of the outbreak sunk in, many public spaces were virtually deserted and panicked shoppers rushed to buy emergency supplies. 

Disneyland shut the doors of its Florida and California parks for only the fourth time in its history and for the first time since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.

Meanwhile, Broadway went dark, America’s two biggest concert promoters suspended their tours, Capitol Hill in Washington, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall in New York were all closed.

America’s big sports leagues — the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball  — all said they would either pause or suspend their seasons.

School children and university students in states including Oregon, Michigan and Maryland were also sent home for the foreseeable future. Washington State governor Jay Inslee recommended that people no longer sit in bars shoulder-to-shoulder.

The President said he may crackdown on domestic travel following yesterday’s ban on arrivals from Europe, which comes into force at midnight.

He also said he was considering halting travel to parts of the country that became “too hot” with the virus.

The panic moves came as the outbreak in the US grew to 1,700 cases and 41 deaths. Dr Brian Monahan, the attending physician of Congress and the US Supreme Court, has reportedly said he expects 70 million to 150 million people in the United States will eventually become infected with the virus.

Dr Monahan made the comments to Senate staff during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday afternoon, according to NBC News.

White House officials insisted Mr Trump would not be tested for the coronavirus despite concerns that he may have been exposed when he posed for a photograph with Fabio Wajngarten, press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, at his Florida resort over the weekend.

Mr Wajngarten was in quarantine at home in Brazil today after testing positive and Mr Bolsonaro’s health was being monitored. Mr Trump insisted that he was not worried about the interaction. “We sat next to each other for a period of time, had a great conversation. He’s [Mr Bolsonaro] doing a terrific job in Brazil and we’ll find out what happened,” he said. “I guess he’s being tested right now. I’m not concerned.”

In a separate development Ivanka Trump was seen standing next to Australia’s minister for home affairs Peter Dutton at a March 6 meeting in Washington on tackling online child exploitation. Earlier today Mr Dutton said he had tested positive for the Covid-19 virus and had been admitted to hospital.

But Mr Trump, who has been accused of responding slowly to the epidemic, said last night: “It’s going to work out fine. Frankly, the testing has been going very smooth.” 

With Wall Street in free fall — the markets suffered the biggest one-day drop yesterday since the 1987 Black Monday crash — Congress was expected to vote today on a stimulus package to help offset some of the economic impact of the outbreak.

The package is likely to include guaranteed sick leave for a fortnight, tax credits for small businesses, enhanced unemployment benefits, free virus testing and extra funding for government health and food assistance programmes. The Federal Reserve also said it will inject as much as $1.5 trillion into the nation’s banking system in a bid to calm panicked investors.

Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama backed tough measures to tackle the virus after several states banned large gatherings to try to stop it spreading. “If you’re wondering whether it’s an overreaction to cancel large gatherings and public events (and I love basketball), here’s a useful primer as to why these measures can slow the spread of the virus and save lives,” Mr Obama tweeted to his 113.7 million followers.

He included a chart showing “how cancelled events and self-quarantine saves lives” and added: “We have to look out for each other.” 

Leading US health experts have hit out at the testing system for coronavirus. Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases claimed it was currently failing. He added: “The system is not really geared to what we need right now… let’s admit it.”