California has declared an emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, as tests continue Thursday on board a Princess cruise ship that has been linked to two cases of the illness in the state.
The first death in California related to coronavirus was confirmed Wednesday, while another fatality in Washington brought that state's death toll to 10.
Congressional leaders have agreed on an $8 billion emergency funding package to help fight the coronavirus that is headed to the House.
The virus is now spreading more rapidly outside China, where the epidemic started, with mainland China recording just 119 new confirmed cases while hundreds of cases were reported globally.
South Korea alone recorded an additional 516 cases of coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the total to 5,328 confirmed cases, the largest outbreak outside of mainland China.
Governments around the world are introducing a range of measures to stop the spread of the disease. In Italy, where there have been more than 2,000 cases, all schools and colleges are shut for 10 days.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
- Here's what to know about the coronavirus.
- MAPS: Where cases have been confirmed in the U.S. and worldwide.
Download the NBC News app for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak.
Live Blog
The scene in Iraq
Reuters: British Airways cancels some flights from U.K. to U.S.
British Airways said Monday it was cancelling some flights from the United Kingdom to the United States to match the reduced customer demand amid the outbreak, Reuters reported. The news agency cited a statement from the carrier.
2 quarantined women released from University of Nebraska Medical Center
Two women who were quarantined after going on a cruise will head home after testing negative for the novel coronavirus, the University of Nebraska Medical Center announced Monday.
Joanne Kirkland, of Tennessee, and Jeri Serratti-Goldman, of California, said at a news conference that they were "shocked" when they found out the virus was on the ship, and they were grateful to staff at the medical center for the treatment they received.
"For myself, this has been an amazing experience," Serratti-Goldman said. "The way that the staff treated us, my friends are saying, 'Oh my gosh, how can you do it.' It was seamless."
The Nebraska Medical Center was a key player in treating people during the Ebola virus outbreak in 2014.
Greater number of coronavirus cases now diagnosed outside of China
New coronavirus cases outside of China are outpacing new cases in China, but the majority of those new cases are in just four countries, the World Health Organization reported Monday.
"In last 24 hours, there were almost nine times more cases reported outside China than inside China," WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news conference.
Since the outbreak started, cases in 61 other countries have exceeded 8,700. There have been 127 total deaths outside of China. The majority of those cases are in four countries — Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea — and represent the "greatest concern" for public health officials.
But many countries have only limited spread. Of the other 57 affected countries, 38 have 10 or fewer cases. Nineteen have reported just one case. And a handful haven't reported a new case in two weeks.
Trump says admin asked pharma companies to 'accelerate' vaccine
WHO staffer in Iran tests positive
The temperature in Thailand
Trump claims 'it's very safe' to hold political rallies
President Trump, responding to questions from reporters Monday about whether it was safe to hold large political rallies amid the spread of the virus, said: “I think it’s very safe.”
He said he would use a meeting later in the day between his administration’s coronavirus task force and pharmaceutical industry leaders to ask those executives about the possibility of accelerating the production of a coronavirus vaccine.
“This meeting was set up before. That was about drug pricing,” he said during an Oval Office meeting with the president of Colombia. “Now we're going to make another subject … the vaccine.”
Asked by a reporter if it might be possible to speed up development vaccine development, Trump replied, “That’s what we're going to find out.”
First case in Tunisia; four new cases in Qatar
Tunisia's Ministry of Health announced the country's first case Monday: a 40-year-old Tunisian national who had recently returned from Italy.
Qatar's main news agency, meanwhile, announced four new cases — bringing the nationwide total to seven.
Elizabeth Warren releases coronavirus plan
Sen. Elizabeth Warren released a new plan on Monday to address the health and economic threats of the new coronavirus. She had previously released a plan to counter the virus' health effects and a spending bill in the Senate.
The plan released Monday includes making sure that all Americans, including the uninsured, can get free coronavirus care, including any forthcoming vaccine. It creates an emergency paid leave program for people to take time off to get care. It includes a $400 billion fiscal stimulus package to counter the potential economic impact of the spreading virus.
Warren remains in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, though she trails well behind Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden.