23 March

The US government says the number of coronavirus cases in the country has topped 30,000.

Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement at a news conference with President Donald Trump and other officials at the White House on Sunday.

The number of cases in the US has doubled since Friday.

Pence attributed the spike in the numbers to the government's efforts to expand testing capacity.

Trump noted that he had approved major disaster declarations requested by New York and Washington.

The two states will be eligible for emergency federal funding.

Trump indicated that protective medical supplies, such as masks and gloves, will be promptly delivered to healthcare workers in New York and Washington.

The White House later announced that a major disaster has also been declared for the state of California.

The Trump administration plans to implement measures worth about two trillion dollars to deal with the economic impact of the pandemic.

US Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Paul is the third member of Congress to be diagnosed with the virus.

-NHK