As coronavirus chaos spreads globally, Trump declares U.S. emergency

A medical officer wearing a protective suit sprays disinfectant in a mosque, amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana

WASHINGTON/GENEVA (Reuters) - President Donald Trump declared a U.S. national emergency over the quickly spreading coronavirus on Friday, opening the door to more government aid to combat a pathogen that has infected more than 138,000 people worldwide and left over 5,000 dead.

The impact of the coronavirus on everyday life deepened around the world. It was detected for the first time in several countries, with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling Europe the pandemic's current epicentre. More schools and businesses closed, the global sporting calendar was left in tatters, and people faced greater restrictions on where they could go.