US President Donald Trump, accused of initially understating the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, declared a state of emergency on Friday to deal with the crisis.
"I officially declare a national emergency"
"To unleash the full power of the federal government's resources, I officially declare a national emergency," he said from the White House gardens. The president said the move would provide up to 50 billion dollars to fight the virus. "I call on every state in the country to immediately set up emergency centers" and hospitals to activate their emergency preparedness plans "to meet the needs of the Americans," added the president, who also announced " a sharp increase "in capabilities to test the virus in the United States.