The US announced Sunday that it is suspending the entry of non-US citizens traveling from Brazil due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Today, the President has taken decisive action to protect our country by suspending the entry of aliens who have been in Brazil during the 14-day period before seeking admittance to the United States," said White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany in a statement.

The South American nation has become a coronavirus hotspot in the region and now has the third highest number of confirmed cases in the world with more than 344,000 infections.

It has also recorded over 22,000 deaths from the virus, which has killed more than 343,000 people worldwide.

"Today’s action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country," said McEnany.

The new restrictions do not apply to the flow of commerce between the US and Brazil.

More than 1.6 million people have contracted the disease in the US, and the death toll stands at more than 97,500, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.