(UTV|Health officials – Coronavirus) – Health officials in the US have warned Americans to brace for the “inevitable” spread of the coronavirus disease that is sweeping the world.
There are 53 confirmed cases in the US, and officials are calling on Congress to urgently pass billions of dollars to fund the response effort.
On Wednesday in South Korea, the first case of coronavirus in the US military was confirmed at a military base.
The 23-year-old soldier is now under self-quarantine, US Forces Korea said.
President Trump had claimed that the spread of coronavirus was “well under control”.
More than 2,700 people have died and some 80,000 have been taken ill, mostly in China where the virus originated.
Outside China, Iran, South Korea and Italy have reported the largest number of cases causing concern that the virus could be becoming a pandemic.
The first positive virus test has been recorded in Latin America – a 61-year-old Brazilian resident who had just returned from Italy. Local media reported that the man would be tested again for final confirmation.
On Tuesday, US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention experts warned Americans of the coming outbreak.
“We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad,” said Dr Nancy Messonnier of the National Center for Immunisation and Respiratory Diseases in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s not so much a question of if this will happen in this country any more but a question of when this will happen,” she said, adding: “Disruption to everyday life might be severe.” (Agencies)