On May 24, 2020, the Trump administration has issued a temporary travel ban on foreign nationals from Brazil that went into effect on Tuesday, May 27th, two days earlier than originally planned.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany indicated that this ban is an effort to “help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country”. In other words, the ban will help prevent the spread of coronavirus from Brazil, which is now the second hardest hit country.

On Monday, the Brazilian health ministry said there were 374,000 cases and more than 23,000 deaths and 807 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours. The one-day U.S. death toll was 620. The U.S. continues to lead the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases and a death toll that has surpassed 100,000 just this week, according to CNN news reports.

Currently, the U.S. has issued travel bans for certain travelers from China, Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Iran. Trump has not however, banned travel from Russia, which is the world’s third hardest hit country.

The travel ban on Brazil applies to foreigners entering the U.S. who have been in Brazil at some point during the prior 14 days.  According to Health officials, it may take two to 14 days before symptoms begin to appear in someone who contracts COVID-19.

This action is just one measure the U.S. is implementing to contain the virus.