March 13 coronavirus news

The Transportation Security Administration will allow travelers to bring some larger containers of hand sanitizer through airport security checkpoints, but it will go through a special screening process. 

Travelers with bottles of up to 12 ounces will be allowed to declare the hand sanitizer as a medical liquid. Travelers with these liquids will typically accompany the officer to a specialized machine for screening opaque medical liquids, according to TSA spokesperson Mark Howell. 

That process is also used for medical liquids such as insulin, Howell said. 

The agency warned on its website that hand sanitizer containers above the 3.4 ounce limit “will need to be screened separately, which will add some time to their checkpoint screening experience.” 

For all other liquids, the agency’s regular rules still apply, including limiting bottles to 3.4 ounces within a single plastic bag, TSA said. 

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei confirmed the country’s first case of coronavirus Friday.

Giammattei, speaking at a public event in Guatemala City, said a man has been diagnosed with coronavirus. He traveled to Italy last Wednesday and entered the country on an Aeromexico flight. 

In a statement released on Twitter, the President urged Guatemalans to not panic and continue taking preventative measures to combat the spread of the virus.

There are at least 2,033 cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States, according to the state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, there are 70 cases from repatriated citizens. According to CNN Health’s tally of US cases that are detected and tested in the United States through US public health systems, there are 1,963 cases in 48 states and the District of Columbia, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 2,033. In total, 47 people have died.  

Americans returning from all restricted countries, including the European zone, China and Iran, will be required to travel through one of 13 US airports, according to guidance from the Department of Homeland Security. 

The mandate is effective for flights taking off at 11:59 p.m. tonight. Eleven airports have already been in use for travelers from China and Iran.

Those include: 

Miami International Airport and Logan International Airport in Boston will be added to the list.

When people arrive, they will proceed through standard customs processing, then they will then continue to "enhanced entry screening" where they will be asked about medical history, current condition, and asked for contact information for local health authorities, DHS said. 

Passengers will be given written guidance about COVID-19, directed to proceed to their final destination and "immediately home-quarantine."

The Ukrainian government will close the Ukrainian border to foreign nationals for two weeks by Monday, a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website said.

A readout of a meeting of the country’s National Security and Defense Council posted late Friday afternoon said the Ukrainian border would be closed to foreign nationals for two weeks within 48 hours.

Ukraine has had three confirmed cases of novel coronavirus and one death, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Washington Metro system will reduce service starting on Monday for both rail and buses.

During the week, trains and buses will now run on a Saturday frequency.

The system has also raised its response to Phase 3 of its Pandemic Flu Plan – the highest level.

ABC television has announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will suspend production starting March 16.

According to an ABC Entertainment spokesperson, they “hope to be back on the air with new shows Monday, March 30.” 

The network’s long-running soap opera, “General Hospital,” will also suspend production through Friday, April 10. The network does not anticipate “an interruption in the broadcast of original episodes.”

Push by reporters on why he hasn't been tested for coronavirus after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus, President Trump said, "I didn't say I wasn't going to be tested."

He followed up that "most likely" he'll get tested but didn't say when.

More on this: Fabio Wajngarten, the press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.

Trump was in close physical proximity with the Wajngarten Saturday night in Florida, two people familiar tell CNN. The Brazilian press secretary attended the dinner Trump hosted at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, took a photo with the President and later stood feet away from Trump as he spoke during Kimberly Guilfoyle's birthday, the sources said.

Watch:

President Trump on Friday said that the threat of novel coronavirus to young, healthy Americans "remains very low," but warned that "anyone can be a carrier" of the virus.

The remarks came as he has not been tested for coronavirus despite extended contact with someone who has been diagnosed. 

"While the risks to young and healthy Americans remains very low — read a lot about this in the last two weeks — anyone can be a carrier for the virus and risk transmission to older Americans and those with underlying health conditions, and those who are most at risk, they have not done very well," Trump said in the Rose Garden. 

He continued: "Older Americans, who are — especially if they have a health problem — have not done well. We must take all precautions and be responsible for the actions that we take." 

Trump has previously said "the risk to the American people remains very low" — today, he added the "young" and "healthy" caveats. 

The White House has said repeatedly that the President is asymptomatic and will not be tested, however, as CNN has reported, officials are now weighing whether Trump, who is in the age group of those who are more likely to get seriously ill if infected, should be tested. 

Other politicians who have had similar types of contact with those who have tested positive for the virus have self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution.