Media playback is unsupported on your device
US President Trump has appointed his Vice-President Mike Pence to coordinate the government response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Both men told a White House news conference that the risk to the American people remained very low.
The announcement came as new cases of Covid – , the infection caused by the Wuhan coronavirus, continue to spread at a rapid pace around the world.
(Sixty cases have so far been reported in the US.
Minutes after the White House news conference, the authorities confirmed another US case of Covid – .
Addressing the press , Mr Trump expressed confidence that the US would be able to handle coronavirus.
“We’re very, very ready for this,” Mr Trump said. Researchers were “rapidly developing” a vaccine, he said.
Image copyright Getty Images
The news conference came as Mr Trump was criticized for earlier suggesting in a tweet that the media had fanned unnecessary alarm over coronavirus “to make the Caronavirus [sic] look as bad as possible”.
“USA in great shape!” he tweeted.
However, he admitted at his news conference that the US should prepare in case the virus spread. “Every aspect of our society should be prepared,” he said.
He contradicted public health officials who earlier warned that spread of the virus to the US was a matter of when, not if. “I don’t think it is inevitable,” Mr Trump told reporters.
He credited decisions to limit certain flights into the US with containing the number of infections.
Alex Azar, the US health secretary, said the White House had developed a plan to focus on five matters, including better disease surveillance, local government response coordination, developing therapeutics, and increasing manufacturing of personal health protection equipment, like masks.
More US cases are to be expected, Mr Azar said.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings