Washington scrambles to aid US economy hit by coronavirus as cases mount

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to Vice President Mike Pence during a coronavirus briefing with health insurers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, yesterday.

WASHINGTON: As U.S. coronavirus cases steadily rose, the White House and Congress on Tuesday negotiated over measures to bolster the U.S. economy and Americans' paychecks against the outbreak's impact, prompting a rebound in hard-hit stock markets.

A steady rise in the number of U.S. cases of COVID-19, a highly contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness, has concerned health officials and spurred calls within Congress for action to expand testing and avert an economic meltdown.