President Donald Trump has announced that he is declaring the Covid-19 a national emergency.
The decision comes as Washington struggles with providing Americans with relief and officials race to slow the spread of the outbreak.
Speaking from the Rose Garden, Mr Trump said: “I am officially declaring a national emergency.”
Mr Trump said he was also giving US secretary of health and human services secretary Alex Azar emergency authorities to waive federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals “flexibility” in treating patients.
“We will defeat this threat,” Mr Trump said.
“When America is tested America rises to the occasion.”
The president added: “This will pass.”
Mr Trump said he will “most likely” be tested for Covid-19 “fairly soon”, but says he has “no symptoms”.
At my request, effective midnight tonight, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and MSC have all agreed to suspend outbound cruises for thirty days. It is a great and important industry – it will be kept that way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
Mr Trump later tweeted to say that several operators will suspend outbound cruises for 30 days at his request in light of the Covid-19 crisis.
Mr Trump tweeted: “At my request, effective midnight tonight, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and MSC have all agreed to suspend outbound cruises for thirty days. It is a great and important industry – it will be kept that way!”
