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California became the third U.S. state to declare a statewide emergency due to the coronavirus outbreak after the state's first fatality from the new coronavirus.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the measure at a news conference Wednesday, saying it was intended to help procure supplies quickly. The state currently has 53 cases of COVID-19, more than any other state according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The death toll from the infection has risen to 11 in the U.S. as of Wednesday afternoon, including 10 in Washington state and one in California. There are 158 cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States, according to the CDC.
Officials say an elderly patient who died in Northern California, contracted the COVID-19 virus from February 11 to 21 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The elderly patient had underlying health conditions and died at a hospital in Roseville, near Sacramento.
There are 11 passengers and 10 crew members from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that are "symptomatic," said Newson.
Workers walk past the coronavirus-hit cruise ship Diamond Princess as they leave the Yokohama Port, south of Tokyo, Japan, February 21, 2020. /Reuters
Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the U.S. response to the COVID-19 outbreak, said on Thursday, the Medicare and Medicaid, in addition to private insurers, will cover tests for the coronavirus because such examinations are an essential health benefit.
As COVID-19 spreads in the U.S., uncertainties have fueled frictions with its neighboring countries Mexico, concerning the recent flip-flop on closing the U.S.-Mexico border. Last Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration was "strongly" considering closing the southern border, as confirmed cases appeared in Mexico.
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U.S. is ramping up its COVID-19 testing capacity. Here's why.
U.S.-Mexico friction heats up over COVID-19 and border issues
To date, a total of 119 COVID-19 cases have been reported from eight countries and two French overseas territories – the United States (158), Canada (34), Ecuador (7), Mexico (5), Brazil (4), Saint Martin (2), Argentina (1), Chile (1), the Dominican Republic (1), and Saint Barthelemy (1).
The novel coronavirus continued to spread across the world with more than 12,600 cases confirmed in at least 76 countries outside China as of 9GMT on Wednesday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to WHO's report on Wednesday, at least 214 deaths were reported outside China and the new confirmed cases have exceeded those reported in China for eight consecutive days.
On Wednesday,
Italy
confirmed 587 cases, bringing the total number to 3,089 with 107 deaths, according to authorities. The Italian government has ordered the closure of all schools and universities nationwide until March 15.
Japan's health authority on Thursday said the country has confirmed a total of 1,037 cases, including 706 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
In Canada, at least 34 coronavirus cases were confirmed as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the country's health authority.
Other countries, including Slovenia and Hungary, identified their first cases.
