The White House is preparing to ask Congress for more money to finance the coronavirus response, the Associated Press is reporting. Coronavirus, better known by COVID-19, has rapidly spread over the last week, troubling financial markets in the U.S. and restricting international travel.
According to senior officials in the Trump administration, the emergency funding request is still being developed but will most likely arrive this week. The administration's budget office is working with The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to shape the request.
HHS already tapped into an emergency infectious disease rapid response fund but is seeking to transfer more than $130 million from other HHS accounts to fight the disease and is pressing for more.
House Democrats wrote HHS Secretary Alex Azar earlier in February to request funds to help speed-up development for a vaccine, expand laboratory capacity and increase screening efforts at U.S. entry points.
The virus has slammed China, where it originated and is rapidly increasing into countries like the Republic of Korea, Iran, and Italy.
