WASHINGTON, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The White House announced Sunday that the United States has imposed travel restriction on Brazil, which has become the nation with the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases.

"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," the White House said in a statement.

The statement said the action would "help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country," noting that this measure would not apply to the flow of commerce between the two countries.