Saudi Arabia halted religious visits that include stops in Mecca and Medina as more coronavirus cases were reported in countries other than China for the first time, the World Health Organization said.
It represents a significant development as new cases spread around the globe.
U.S. health authorities said they’ve identified a first case of coronavirus that doesn’t have ties to a known outbreak.
The news came after President Donald Trump assured Americans that they face little risk from the outbreak. Asia stocks retreated with U.S. equity futures.
The U.S. urged travelers to reconsider trips to South Korea as the country’s number of cases rose to more than 1,500. New infections were diagnosed in countries from Pakistan to Brazil.
