“To unleash the full power of the federal government, I’m officially declaring a national emergency,” Trump said, announcing $50 billion in federal funds to battle the contagion. The overall death toll jumped to more than 5,000, including nearly 1,500 in Europe, with total infections topping 140,000 internationally, according to an AFP tally based on official sources. The virus has torn up the sporting and cultural calendar, with top-flight events from Broadway to English Premier League football scrapped. The Pentagon banned all its military and civilian personnel from domestic travel from Monday to help stop the spread of the virus. Read The Express Tribune‘s live coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pakistan and the around the globe here.

Source: The Express Tribune March 13, 2020 20:32 UTC