The World Health Organization (WHO)[1] has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak[2] a global pandemic, and as the infectious disease continues to spread, the affects on public health and the global economy is unmistakable. In a March 11 statement put out through the WHO website[3], WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus."
As of Sunday, the virus had been detected in 142 countries and regions. Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University on COVID-19 cases[4] show more than 156,000 confirmed cases and more than 5,800 deaths. More than 73,000 people have recovered.
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In the US, officials have reported over 2,200 cases in 42 states and Washington D.C. There are 50 reported deaths from the COVID-19 disease. 15 states have declared a state of emergency, including California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
On Wednesday night, President Donald Trump announce a ban on non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in many European countries entering the U.S. The week prior, Vice President Mike Pence announced that travelers coming into the US on direct flights from Italy and South Korea will be screened for symptoms, travelers from China were already being screened. On Saturday, Pence said the ban was being extended to include Ireland and the U.K, effective midnight Monday. The ban does not affect U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or their immediate families.
On March 5, the U.S. Senate approved a bill to provide $8.3 billion in emergency supplemental funds for coronavirus response. President Donald Trump signed the bill at the White