US President Donald Trump declares national emergency over COVID-19 pandemic

US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic.  Addressing a press conference Trump also announced a set of specific measures aimed at stemming the effects of the outbreak.

He called on all US states to set up emergency operation centers and said the government is accelerating testing, amid criticism about the lack of sufficient test kits nationwide.

The number of positive cases in the United States has reached 2,006, while at least 42 people have died after contracting the virus.