President Trump Declares Coronavirus National Emergency

President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency as the United State continues to respond to a rising number of coronavirus cases.

The president made the announcement Friday afternoon at the White House.

Trump said the action would make available up to $50 billion to state and localities in their battle to control the spread of COVID-19.

The president said the federal government would move to make drive-thru testing clinics available to those who may have been exposed to coronavirus.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the nation's focus should be on containment and mitigation efforts.

Fauci acknowledged that "we still have a long way to go" but expressed that appropriate actions now are being taken to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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