Covid-19: Trump seeks US$850b economic stimulus

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a news briefing on the coronavirus outbreak while accompanied by members of the coronavirus (COVID-19) task force at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: The Trump administration on Tuesday pursued a massive $850 billion stimulus package to buttress a U.S. economy reeling from the coronavirus threat, while the streets of major American cities emptied in response to stepped-up warnings about the pandemic.

Millions of Americans hunkered down in their homes instead of commuting to work or school as New York and other major cities escalated "social distancing" policies by closing schools, bars, restaurants and theaters. The number of reported U.S. cases of the respiratory illness surged and U.S. deaths from the coronavirus climbed to at least 89.