US-Mexico border restrictions expected as coronavirus spreads

The United States is expected to announce restrictions on travel across the border with Mexico as part of the effort to stem the tide of the coronavirus pandemic, a source familiar with the plan told NBC News.

The restrictions are expected to be revealed Friday, according to a report first published by the Reuters news agency, which cited two officials familiar with the matter.

The source said that the restrictions on the U.S.-Mexico border would be similar to the agreement with Canada that was announced Wednesday by President Donald Trump.

Trump and and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that day said they were temporarily closing their nations’ border — the longest in the world — to non-essential traffic.

On Tuesday, the member countries of the European Union agreed to close their external borders to non-citizens in most cases for one month.

There have been more than 236,000 cases of coronvirus reported worldwide, with at least 9,790 deaths.

In the United States alone, there have been at least 11,238 coronavirus cases, and at least 157 related deaths.

Mexico has 118 confirmed cases, and 1 reported death, according to Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, which has been tracking the spread of coronavirus, and the related disease of COVID-19.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/coronavirus-travel-us-mexico-border-restrictions-expected.html