New York gets hospital ship, possible quarantine

US President Donald Trump floated idea of a quarantine as early as Saturday affecting residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for a short time to stop spre of coronavirus from reaching states with fewer infections.

Speaking in rfolk, Virginia, as a US Navy medical ship left New York to support pandemic response re, Trump said such a lockdown would be anunced "one way or or fairly soon".

federal government is empowered under law to take measures to prevent spre of communicable diseases between states, but it's t clear that means Trump can order state residents to stay put.