Passengers stranded at Belgium airport after US ban

Passengers lined up on Thursday at the United Airlines check-in desk at Brussels airport as US President Donald Trump announced a ban on travel from Europe over concerns about the new coronavirus. Trump said all European travel would be cut off, but Homeland Security officials later clarified that the new restrictions would apply only to most foreign nationals who have been in Europe's passport-free travel zone at any point for 14 days prior to their arrival to the United States.

The so-called Schengen area comprises 26 countries including EU members France, Italy, German, Greece, Austria and Belgium, where the bloc has its headquarters, but also others like Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

The European Union was on Thursday evaluating Trump's decision to restrict travel from Europe amid deep concern over the economic impact the move would have on markets already heavily hit by the virus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

In mainland China, where the virus first spread, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.