New coronavirus deaths in US as lawmakers reach USD 8.3 bn funding deal

The death toll in the United States from the new coronavirus rose to 11 on Wednesday, as lawmakers in Congress agreed to provide more than USD 8 billion to fight the rapidly spreading disease.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency as he reported the state's first fatality from the COVID-19 illness -- an elderly person who had taken a cruise to Mexico -- while health officials in nearby Washington state said a 10th person had died there.

"The State of California is deploying every level of government to help identify cases and slow the spread of this coronavirus," Newsom told reporters.

"This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our health care system in the event it spreads more broadly."