Did the coronavirus get more deadly? The death rate, explained
Trump says Covid-19 isn’t that deadly. Here’s what we know.It was not a modest estimate.
John F. Kelly, the second White House chief of staff under Mr. Trump , tried to change the president’s habits Without the dedicated pandemic team on the White House ’s National Security Council, which was disbanded in 2018, the management of the government’s vast coronavirus response fell to Alex
Former President Barack Obama delivered a blistering critique of the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus crisis, describing it as "an absolute chaotic disaster" during a private call Friday night with people who worked for him in the White House and across his administration.
© Doug Mills/The New York Times The internal culture created by President Trump is haunting his administration’s crisis response to the coronavirus. Editor’s note: The opinions in this article are the author’s, as published by our content partner, and do not represent the views of MSN or Microsoft.
Senior aides battling one another for turf, and advisers protecting their own standing. A president racked by indecision and quick to blame others who views events through the lens of how the news media covers them. A pervasive distrust of career government professionals, and disregard for their recommendations. And a powerful son-in-law whom aides fear crossing, but who is among the few people the president trusts.
White House seeking $850 bn stimulus package: report
White House seeking $850 bn stimulus package: reportA security guard of a public transportation system sprays disinfectant inside a bus in Lalitpur, Nepal, on March 17.
President Donald Trump said part of the reason he doesn't regularly wear a mask is "everyone's tested" before they see him. But multiple studies have raised questions about the accuracy of a coronavirus test the White House has used
Obama says White House response to coronavirus has been 'absolute chaotic disaster'. A senior White House official said Friday evening contact tracing was performed inside the White House But the latest cases involve people who work in much closer proximity to the President and vice president.
The culture that President Trump has fostered and abided by for more than three years in the White House has shaped his administration’s response to a deadly pandemic that is upending his presidency and the rest of the country, with dramatic changes to how Americans live their daily lives.
It explains how Mr. Trump could announce he was dismissing his acting chief of staff as the crisis grew more severe, creating even less clarity in an already fractured chain of command. And it was a major factor in the president’s reluctance to even acknowledge a looming crisis, for fear of rattling the financial markets that serve as his political weather vane.
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More on coronavirus:
Police Will Be Able To Detain And Quarantine People Under Emergency Coronavirus Laws
See the latest stories on the coronavirus outbreak. Emergency powers which include giving police and immigration officers the right to detain and quarantine people who may be infected with coronavirus will be introduced by the government this week. Health secretary Matt Hancock said the draconian measures will “only be used when it is absolutely necessary” and will only remain in place for as long as they are needed to protect life and the nation’s public health, and to provide support for the NHS and social care.
White House Covid cases contradict Trump 's message on opening. He called the Trump administration's coronavirus response " an absolute chaotic disaster" during a private call Friday Also on Sunday, the White House sent new signals that it is in no rush to conclude another massive
Trump is currently leading in Pennsylvania, and it looks like a victory that will be aggressively defended by the President and his team. Rudy Giuliani and Trump attorneys are reportedly en route to Philadelphia right now to fight against the Dems’ attempt to steal Pennsylvania.
All the latest coronavirus news, views and analysis
Virus killer: Why soap is the ultimate weapon in the global pandemic (Guardian)
How to self-isolate: Key steps to prevent the infection spreading (Vox)
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“What begins every kind of mobilized response by the president — clear assignments and some sense that this is an absolute priority — none of that seemed to be a part of the president’s discussion,” said Kathleen Sebelius, who served as the health and human services secretary under President Barack Obama. “The agencies were kind of left to their own devices.”
In pictures: Coronavirus outbreak (Photos)
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A security guard of a public transportation system sprays disinfectant inside a bus in Lalitpur, Nepal, on March 17.
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People, wearing face masks as a preventive measure, wait to cross a road in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 17.
Coronavirus Ireland: Elderly and ill people will be asked to stay at home as part of 'cocooning' measure
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made the announcement in a live broadcastTaoiseach Leo Varadkar made the announcement as part of a state of the nation broadcast on RTE on Tuesday evening.
A top White House adviser starkly warned Trump administration officials in late January that the coronavirus crisis could cost the United States trillions “The lack of immune protection or an existing cure or vaccine would leave Americans defenseless in the case of a full-blown coronavirus outbreak
Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus taskforce response coordinator, said models showed a worst case scenario of between 1.5m and 2.2m deaths in the US “without mitigation”. She displayed a chart in which New York had by far the most cumulative cases , followed by New Jersey
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A man waits for his flight as he wears protective mask, at the airport in Málaga, Spain, on March 17.
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A Red Cross personnel sprays disinfectant at a department store in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 17.
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to media at a press conference following a COVID-19 financial response package announcement, in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 17.
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Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with G7 leaders during a teleconference while under self-isolation, due to his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau testing positive for COVID-19, in his home at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, Canada, on March 16.
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Expatriates returning from Egypt, Syria and Lebanon arrive to be re-tested at a health ministry containment and screening zone for COVID-19, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, on March 16.
Americans are very likely to get $1,000 (or more) checks. Here’s what you need to know.
Support is growing in Washington for a proposal to help offset the damage from the coronavirus.The idea took off Monday when Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) called for every American adult to receive a $1,000 check “immediately” to help tide people over until other government aid can arrive. By Tuesday, there was bipartisan support for the idea, including from President Trump. The White House even suggested the amount could be over $1,000, an acknowledgment of how big the economic crisis is becoming.
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Local workers clean the streets as a precautionary measure in Concepción, Chile, on March 16.
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A resident wearing a facemask walks past a graffiti of Buddha wearing a facemask, in Mumbai, India, on March 16.
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A worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectants near Al-Abbas shrine as a precaution against the outbreak of coronavirus, in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, on March 15.
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Democratic U.S. presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders do an elbow bump instead of a handshake as they greet each other before the start of the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN's Washington, D.C., studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic on March 15.
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A volunteer from Red Cross sprays disinfectant at the corridor of a school in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 16.
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A worker closes a restaurant early due to COVID-19 related restrictions in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., on March 15.
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Passengers walk through the terminal at Wellington Airport in Wellington, New Zealand, on March 16. Strict new border measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 came into effect from March 16, requiring all arrivals into New Zealand to self-isolate for 14 days upon the arrival. Those in self-isolation must avoid social gatherings, work, school, child care facilities, university, religious gatherings, aged care and health facilities, prisons, sports gatherings, restaurants, and all public gatherings during the two-week period.
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A deliveryman rides an electric scooter in the empty Larios street during the partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the COVID-19 outbreak, in Malaga, Spain, on March 15.
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Police officers and troops are seen wearing face masks as they stand guard at a checkpoint in the outskirts of Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 15, as authorities began implementing a lockdown in Manila.
First TV adverts with coronavirus advice to be aired
The government will tomorrow air its first TV adverts as part of the public awareness campaign on the coronavirus pandemic. The adverts are a ramping up of ministers' efforts to inform Britons about how they should respond to coronavirus.They build upon existing adverts already on radio, online and on billboards.
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A health worker wears a protective mask and suit as he screens car passengers, as border restrictions take effect on the Polish-Czech border in Chałupki, Poland, on March 15.
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People wearing face masks are seen near the Venezuelan-Colombia border after the Colombian government decided to close the Simón Bolívar International Bridge as a preventive measure, in San Antonio del Táchira, Venezuela, on March 14.
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A woman has her body temperature checked at an outpatient hospital in Moscow, Russia, on March 14.
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A student demonstrates how to wash hands during an awareness campaign about COVID-19 at a school in Chennai, India, on March 14.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference about the coronavirus at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 14.
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A man wears a mask while sitting on a bus in London, England, on March 14.
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A girl leans out of a window to applaud in Milan, Italy, on March 14, as a sign of solidarity in response to calls circulating on social media for people to ''gather'' on their balconies at certain hours, either to play music or to give each other a round of applause.
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A health worker dressed in a protective suit prepares to disinfect the residence where Kenya's first confirmed coronavirus patient was staying, in the town of Rongai near Nairobi, Kenya, on March 14.
Queen holds audience with Boris Johnson over the phone amid coronavirus pandemic
The Queen has conducted her weekly audience with Boris Johnson over the phone as the UK continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Queen Elizabeth hosts a weekly audience with the prime minister and the event was in her diary despite changes to her upcoming engagements. The court circular indicates her meeting was held via telephone on Wednesday. She also held an audience with Captain Angus Essenhigh, the new Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, and his predecessor Commodore Stephen Moorhouse.However they did not shake hands during the audience, with the captain and commodore bowing to the 93-year-old monarch.
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A pharmacist fixes a banner in Catalan, which reads "No masks, no alcohol, no clear hand gel" in a pharmacy in Barcelona, Spain, on March 14.
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe answers a question during his press conference at the Prime Minister's office in Tokyo, Japan, on March 14. Prime Minister Abe said the coronavirus outbreak in his country has not reached a point that requires him to declare a national emergency like the U.S. and Europe.
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A sign indicates that the National Gallery of Art has been closed to the public due to the coronavirus threat in Washington D.C., U.S., on March 14.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a speech at his Jerusalem office regarding the new measures that will be taken to fight the coronavirus, on March 14.
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A video displays a message from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that reads "Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands" on the Gallery Place Metro subway train platform in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 13.
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Firefighters disinfect a street in western Tehran, Iran, on March 13.
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The Eiffel Tower is seen next to a board that reads: “In the context of the COVID-19 the Eiffel Tower closes today from 9pm for an indefinite period of time” in Paris, France, on March 13.
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern displays a graph during a press conference in Auckland, New Zealand on March 14. Ardern explained how the country will attempt to slow the increase in coronavirus cases with measures like travel restrictions and self-quarantine upon arrival to New Zealand.
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People hoping to leave Manila before it is placed on lockdown flock at a bus station in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 13.
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U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers a statement on a coronavirus economic aid package ahead of a vote in the House of Representatives at Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., on March 13.
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A Mossos d'Esquadra officer stands on the closed off road near Igualada, Spain, on March 13. Over 60,000 people in Igualada, Odena, Santa Margarida de Montbui and Vilanova del Cami have been confined to their homes as the government put the towns under lockdown.
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A man plays a guitar as part of a flashmob organized to raise the morale during Italy's coronavirus crisis in Turin, Italy, on March 13.
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Empty shelves seen at a Target store, as people stockpile supplies due to the outbreak of the deadly virus, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on March 13. The U.S. government is racing to make more coronavirus test kits available as schools close around the country, sporting events get canceled and businesses encourage workers to telecommute where possible.
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U.S. President Donald Trump (front) arrives with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials to declare the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., on March 13.
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Employees of the Greek Parliament wearing plastic gloves attend the swearing-in ceremony of their newly elected President Katerina Sakellaropoulou in Athens on March 13. She became the country's first female president nearly two months after the country's parliament voted overwhelmingly to elect her. The swearing-in ceremony was being held in an almost empty parliament, as one of the measures being taken to prevent the spread of the virus.
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Municipality workers prepare to disinfect a mosque in Srinagar, India, on March 13.
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A man takes a picture of a poster of the artist TVBoy depicting Uncle Sam calling on people to stay home on March 13, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.
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Visitors take photos at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, U.S., on March 13. Disneyland is closing its doors for the rest of the month, shuttering one of the state's best-known attractions.
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A message reading 'Wash Hands" is seen in the sky over Sydney, Australia, on March 13.
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Peru's Alianza Lima and Argentina's Racing Club play the Copa Libertadores match at the Presidente Perón Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 12. The match was played in an empty, closed-door stadium as part of the government's measures to contain transmission of coronavirus.
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A misting machine sprays anti-septic solution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at a public school in Marikina, Philippines, on March 13.
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A general view of the pit lane as the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled after a McLaren team member tested positive for coronavirus in Melbourne, Australia, on March 13.
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A man wearing a face mask stands by a stock market display board in Hong Kong on March 13.
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A nearly deserted view of the Red Fort complex as people avoid crowded places in New Delhi, India, on March 12.
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(L-R) Professor Brendan Murphy, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian during a press conference announcing the recommendation that all mass gatherings of 500 people or more will be cancelled from March 16, in Sydney, Australia, on March 13.
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Employees wearing protective face masks clean and disinfect a bus, as part of measures to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19, in Moscow, Russia, on March 13.
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A man wearing a protective face mask walks past the Olympic rings in front of the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo on March 13.
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A sign that reads 'Closed for tours and visits in view of COVID-19 situation' hangs outside the Masjid Sultan in Singapore on March 13.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a news conference addressing the government's response to the coronavirus outbreak, at Downing Street in London, England on March 12. The U.K. government announced the country is moving from the "contain" to "delay" phase in dealing with the spread of COVID-19 in the U.K.
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Trading is halted for 15 minutes as traders work on the floor at the opening bell of the Dow Industrial Average at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, New York, U.S. on March 12.
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People coming from Venezuela with protective face masks as a precautionary measure to avoid contracting the virus, show their documents on the border at Simon Bolivar International Bridge, in Cucuta, Colombia, on March 12.
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People line up to purchase goods at a downtown Trader Joe's as more cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Manhattan, in New York City, New York, U.S. on March 12.
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The Manuel Ferreira stadium lies empty amid the coronavirus outbreak, during a Copa Libertadores game between Club Olimpia and Defensa y Justicia in Asunción, Paraguay, on March 11. The match was played behind closed doors.
Trump congratulates Kim on managing coronavirus in North Korea
US President Donald Trump has written to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offering help to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Details of the letter came from the North Korean leadership, which welcomed it as a sign of "the special and very firm personal relations" between Mr Kim and Mr Trump.The letter reportedly contained praise for Mr Kim's efforts to defend his people from the disease, which has killed thousands of people around the world.The secretive nation claims it has been spared from the outbreak that originated in neighbouring China, but some observers have questioned whether that can be true.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during an address to the nation from the Oval Office of the While House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 11. He said that travel to the nation from over two dozen European countries has been suspended for the next 30 days. The ban applies to foreign nationals; American citizens who are screened before entering would not face any issues.
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Fans leave the Golden 1 Center after an NBA game between New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings was postponed in Sacramento, California, U.S., on March 11.
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An airline worker stands in a nearly empty Los Angeles International Airport in California, U.S., on March 11.
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Customers stock up on supplies at a wholesale store in San Salvador, El Salvador, on March 11.
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An airport worker uses hand sanitizer at Los Angeles International Airport in California, U.S., on March 11.
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Cleaning crew have their masks wiped down after they come out of Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington, U.S., on March 11.
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Trees are decorated with ribbons in support of coronavirus patients at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington, U.S., on March 11.
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Employees from a disinfection service company sanitize a subway car depot amid coronavirus outbreak in Seoul, South Korea, on March 11.
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Firemen spray disinfectants outside a public market in Manila, Philippines, on March 11.
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A COVID-19 testing center at the Reactivating the Repat Hospital is seen on March 11 in Adelaide, Australia. Patients book ahead, then arrive and stay in their vehicle and wait to be swabbed by nurses before driving off. Test results are then sent to the patient's GP later.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping learns about the hospital's operations, treatment of patients, protection for medical workers and scientific research at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China, on March 10.
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Palestinian workers disinfect a public park in Gaza City, Gaza, on March 10.
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Passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship, which docked in Oakland, arrive for quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in San Antonio, Texas, U.S., on March 10 after a number of passengers on the cruise were tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
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A medical official walks inside a plane while taking the body temperature of passengers, who arrived on a flight from New York City, New York, U.S., at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kiev, Ukraine, on March 10.
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Race goers use hand sanitiser installed at Cheltenham Racecourse in Cheltenham, England, on March 10.
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Recreational vehicles ready for deployment by the Department of Emergency Management to provide temporary isolation housing in San Francisco, California, U.S., on March 10.
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A passenger from the Grand Princess, a cruise ship carrying multiple people who have tested positive for COVID-19 washes his hands before boarding a chartered plane in Oakland, California, U.S., on March 10.
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Voters arrive with masks at Warren E. Bow Elementary School in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on March 10.
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A health worker sprays disinfectant outside the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 10.
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A woman wearing a protective face mask walks on an almost empty street in Yokohama, Japan, on March 10.
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Workers at a building, where at least 46 people were confirmed to have COVID-19, wait in line for coronavirus testing at a temporary facility in Seoul, South Korea, on March 10.
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A worker disinfects handrails inside a train in Manila, Philippines, on March 10.
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People wear face masks as they change subway lines in Beijing, China, on March 10.
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Passengers of the cruise ship Grand Princess look from the balconies of their cabins as tests for COVID-19 are conducted and arrangements are made to offload passengers while the vessel docks at the Port of Oakland, California, U.S., on March 9.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus outbreak, in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 9.
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A general view of the central station in Milan, Italy, during checks on March 9.
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Women travel in a public bus wearing protective masks in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 9.
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A man arriving into an office building gets his temperature measured by a private security guard in New Delhi, India, on March 9.
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People wear face masks as they walk outside an office building during morning rush hour in Beijing, China, on March 9.
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South Korean army soldiers spray disinfectant on a street in Seoul, South Korea, on March 9.
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A mask-clad worker disinfects an area in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on March 9.
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A steward walks inside the Allianz Stadium before the Serie A match between Juventus F.C. and Inter Milan was being played behind closed doors, in Turin, Italy, on March 8.
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Medical experts prepare to check passengers arriving from Italy at the Sheremetyevo International Airport outside Moscow, Russia, on March 8.
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Passengers look out from balconies aboard the Grand Princess as it cruises a holding pattern about 25 miles off the coast of San Francisco, California, U.S. on March 8. At least 21 passengers on the ship have reportedly been affected with the coronavirus.
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People in face masks walk on St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis delivers his weekly Angelus prayer via video, due to coronavirus concerns, in Vatican City on March 8.
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A couple wearing protective face masks visits Asakusa neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, on March 8.
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Protesters are sprayed with disinfectant during a rally demanding women's right on the occasion of International Women's Day at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 8.
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A nurse shows her protective equipment at Villa Nueva hospital, where patients carrying the virus will be cared for, in Villa Nueva, Guatemala, on March 7.
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Shoppers wait their turns to pick up toilet paper that had just arrived at a Costco store in Tacoma, Washington, U.S., on March 7. Within minutes, several pallets of toilet paper and paper towels were sold out as people continue to stock up on necessities due to fear of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
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District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks at a news conference to announce the first presumptive positive case of the coronavirus in Washington D.C., on March 7.
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A girl wearing a mask is seen in New Delhi, India, on March 7.
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Members of the crew load personal protective equipment into a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in San Francisco, California, U.S., on March 6.
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A doctor checks the blood pressure of a displaced Yazidi woman, as they wear protective face masks, at a medical center in the Sharya camp in Duhok, Iraq, on March 7.
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People walk through a "sanitizing gate" spraying disinfectants against coronavirus before entering into a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 6.
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Nurses wear protective gear during a demonstration of preparations for any potential coronavirus cases at the Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 6.
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Flight attendants wearing protective masks fill out health alert cards before thermal scanner in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, on March 6.
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An employee wearing protective gear sprays disinfectant to sanitize a passenger bus in Minsk, Belarus, on March 6.
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A man wears a plastic face cover and a mask at the subway in Shanghai, China, on March 5.
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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence bumps elbows with Washington Governor Jay Inslee (L) during a news conference at Camp Murray, Washington, U.S., on March 5. Pence was in Washington to discuss the state's efforts to fight the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, and officials have been avoiding shaking hands to prevent the spread of germs.
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The military-appointed members of parliament wearing face masks leave after a session in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on March 4.
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Visitors wearing protective masks line up in front of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on March 4.
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Slovakia's Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini attends a news conference during the summit of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries to discuss response to the spread of the coronavirus, in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 4.
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A woman wearing a protective mask serves tea at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, on March 4.
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A Jammu and Kashmir police officer briefs passengers about guarding against the coronavirus in Lakhanpur, India, on March 4.
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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence gives a news briefing about the coronavirus with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on March 3.
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People wearing face masks cross a road in Shanghai, China, on March 2.
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The U.S. White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah L. Birx attends a press briefing, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on, in the White House on March 2. As of March 3, six people had died in the state and at least 100 confirmed cases were reported across the country.
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Government officials make phone calls to members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus to check if they have symptoms of COVID-19, at the Goyang City Hall in South Korea on March 3. The country confirmed its 29th death and more than 4,800 cases of the virus infection on March 3.
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A Brazilian scientists, who is among those that concluded coronavirus DNA sequencing, inserts a tube into a portable device connected to a computer that decodes virus DNA, at the Tropical Medicine Institute of the São Paulo University Medical School in Brazil on March 2.
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Rescue workers wearing masks and protective clothing check a man's temperature during a mock drill on handling suspected carriers of the coronavirus, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 2.
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A paramedic wearing a protective suit sanitizes the hands of people in Ashkelon, Israel, on March 2.
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Personnel from the health ministry check tourists' temperatures and for any symptoms at the Rumichaca border bridge in Tulcán, Ecuador, on March 1.
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A South Korean soldier wearing protective gear sanitizes a street in front of the city hall in Daegu on March 2.
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Students of Hanoi National University of Education attend the first day of classes after returning to the university, which was closed for over a month due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 2.
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference on the coronavirus outbreak as (L-R) U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams look on, at the White House on Feb. 29.
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Pedestrians wearing face masks cross a square in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 29.
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A police officer wears a protective face mask on the street in Mexico City, Mexico, on Feb. 29.
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A cleaner sanitizes a wagon on a regional train at the Garibaldi train station in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 28. Authorities are taking new measures against the COVID-19 outbreak as death toll in the country reached 21 on Feb. 29.
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A researcher works in a lab that is developing testing for the COVID-19 at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation in Nutley, New Jersey, U.S., on Feb 28. The facility develops novel therapies for some of the worlds most difficult diseases.
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Commuters wear face masks on a street in Karachi, Pakistan, on Feb. 28, as the country detected its first two cases of novel coronavirus on Feb. 26.
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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks next to Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, during a coronavirus task force meeting at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Feb. 27.
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Umrah pilgrims are seen after the cancellation of the departure to Mecca following the Saudi government's temporary ban announced on Feb. 27, to keep the country safe from the virus outbreak, at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb. 27.
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A health worker takes part in a drill to handle suspected carriers of coronavirus, at a hotel in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Feb. 26.
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School staff leave after the government announced a 14-day closure as they found a eight-year old student was infected with the virus, at Phraharuthai Donmuang School in Bangkok, Thailand, on Feb. 26.
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Personnel wearing protective gear spray anti-septic solution at a traditional market in Seoul on Feb. 26.
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Spanish police officers patrol outside the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife, Canary Island, Spain, on Feb. 25.
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in talks during a special government meeting to discuss measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, at the Daegu City Hall in Daegu on Feb. 25.
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Fans wear masks at Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Italy, on Feb. 25, prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona.
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A newly wed couple wear protective masks as they take photos with family in Hong Kong on Feb. 24.
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Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization (WHO) attends a news conference on the WHO-China Joint Mission on coronavirus in Beijing, on Feb. 24.
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U.N. Secretary General António Guterres speaks during an update on the situation at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, on Feb. 24.
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Figures depicting coronavirus and "carnevals-virus" are seen at the Shrove Monday celebrations in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Feb. 24.
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A reveler wears protective face mask at the Venice Carnival, the last days of which were called off after third death was reported in the country, in Italy on Feb. 23.
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People wear masks in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 23. Iran's health ministry confirmed the death toll to eight in the country as of Feb. 23.
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Buddhist monks wearing protective face masks pray during a blessing ceremony for the people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 22.
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Members of Red Cross board a Colombian Air Force plane that will evacuate the citizens from coronavirus-hit China, at the CATAM military base in Bogota, Colombia, on Feb. 22.
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A Chinese tourist, who was tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus and isolated for treatment, gestures while accompanied by medical staff after she was discharged from the hospital following her recovery, near Colombo in Sri Lanka, on Feb. 19.
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Media personnel chase after a passenger (C) who disembarked from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, on Feb. 19.
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Indians who were airlifted from Wuhan wait to collect their release certificates before leaving the ITBP quarantine facility in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 17.
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Military medics stand in a formation after deplaning from a transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, China, on Feb. 17.
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A teacher gives a lecture with the help of her smart phone during an online class at a middle school in Donghai, China, on Feb. 17.
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Pictures of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, China, are displayed by their family members during a demonstration in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 16. The family members are demanding the evacuation of their relatives.
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Nepalese nationals who were in Wuhan walk out from a Nepal Airlines plane at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, on Feb. 16. The chartered plane brought back 175 nationals from Hubei province.
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Family members of Pakistani students studying in Wuhan, rally outside the Chinese Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 13., for the evacuation of their children from the Chinese city.
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A laboratory technician helps a colleague remove the protective suit after leaving a laboratory in Shenyang, China, on Feb. 12.
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People wave at family on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Daikoku Pier, Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 11.
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South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has his temperature checked during a visit to a clinic in Gyeonggi, South Korea, on Feb. 8.
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Members of an emergency team participate in a drill to prepare for the potential arrival of passengers infected with the coronavirus at the Viru Viru International Airport, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on Feb. 6.
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Airport security staff checks passengers using a thermal sensor screen at the Hong Kong International Airport on Feb. 6.
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A tourist receives a free protective face mask from Buddhist volunteers in Hanoi on Feb. 6.
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Workers in protective gear are seen on Japan Coast Guard boats in Yokohama, on Feb. 5, bringing patients from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship.
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Beds are set up at an exhibition center, which was converted into a hospital, in Wuhan on Feb. 4.
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Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (C) speaks to journalists during a visit to Suvarnabhumi Airport to inspect measures in place to monitor passengers as they arrive in Bangkok on Jan. 29.
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Children are seen wearing facial masks as a precaution after Nepal confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, at Matribhumi School in Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, on Jan. 29.
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Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, takes part in a news conference after a meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee to discuss about the outbreak of Pneumonia in China and other countries due to the 2019-nCoV, in Geneva, on Jan. 22.
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Dozens of diggers work to build a new hospital in Wuhan, on Jan. 25. Due to the large number of infected people, the government decided to establish a temporary 1,000-bed hospital.
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Crises are treated as day-to-day public relations problems by Mr. Trump, who thinks ahead in short increments of time and early on in his presidency told aides to consider each day as an episode in a television show. The type of long-term planning required for an unpredictable crisis like a pandemic has brought into stark relief the difficulties that Mr. Trump was bound to face in a real crisis.
Mr. Trump has refused repeated warnings to rely on experts, or to neutralize some of the power held by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in favor of a traditional staff structure. He has rarely fully empowered people in the jobs they hold.
John F. Kelly, the second White House chief of staff under Mr. Trump, tried to change the president’s habits, limiting who could reach him and how many people he could solicit fringe information from. But Mr. Trump found ways to get around Mr. Kelly’s edicts, calling people on his cellphone and issuing orders he did not tell Mr. Kelly about.
© Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, sought to take on an expansive role in the crisis response effort. “Part of this is President Trump being Donald J. Trump, the same guy he’s always been, and part of it is a government he has now molded in his image, rather than having a government as it has traditionally been, to serve the chief executive, and to serve the job of governing the country,” said David Lapan, a former spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, and a former aide of Mr. Kelly.
To his critics, it was only a matter of time before the president’s approach to governing would have severe consequences not only for him but also for the country at a time of crisis.
“In some ways, Trump has been one of the luckiest presidents in history, because that crisis didn’t come till his fourth year,” said Ron Klain, an adviser to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and the so-called czar handling the response to the Ebola outbreak under President Barack Obama. “But it was inevitable, sadly, that it would come, and here it is.”
Without the dedicated pandemic team on the White House’s National Security Council, which was disbanded in 2018, the management of the government’s vast coronavirus response fell to Alex M. Azar II, a former drug executive and Mr. Trump’s health and human services secretary.
But almost as a matter of course Mr. Trump did not want to highlight the virus as a public health threat when it was developing in China in January. Concerned about rattling financial markets, he signaled to advisers that he wanted to play it down, seizing on a health expert’s belief that the coronavirus might follow traditional influenza patterns and weaken after April. He told members of his private club, Mar-a-Lago, and said publicly that any danger would pass by April 1.
As the threat of the coronavirus accelerated, Mr. Azar and a small group of health officials with decades of government experience, including Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Kadlec, the assistant health secretary for preparedness and response, and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, began daily meetings on the sixth floor of health and human services’ Washington headquarters.
© Nick Oxford for The New York Times A bartender watching Mr. Trump declare a national emergency, from Kong’s Tavern in Oklahoma City on Friday. The group, was officially designated as a 12-person “task force” in late January by the departing chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, but personal disputes quickly sprang up as pressure grew from other agencies and departments to be involved.
Among the members of the task force, Dr. Fauci, an infectious disease expert who first became prominent explaining the AIDS epidemic to President Ronald Reagan, emerged as an effective spokesman who did not shrink from contradicting Mr. Trump.
But senior administration officials have criticized Mr. Azar for what they believe was a decision to leave key health figures off the task force early on, particularly Dr. Stephen Hahn, the F.D.A. commissioner and an accomplished oncologist, and Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency in charge of health care for tens of millions of older and poor Americans, absences the officials attributed to petty turf wars.
© Getty President Donald Trump gives a coronavirus address. A health and human services official defended Mr. Azar, saying that the department included the Medicare agency and the F.D.A. in coronavirus meetings well before the two joined the task force.
Ms. Verma, who has feuded so intensely with Mr. Azar that it led to an intervention from Mr. Trump, was a top Indiana health official during Mr. Pence’s time as governor in the state, as was Dr. Jerome Adams, the surgeon general, another new member of the task force.
Joe Grogan, the White House Domestic Policy Council director who has feuded with Mr. Azar over drug policy, and Larry Kudlow, the president’s top economic adviser, have irritated some health officials over comments they made about the potential economic impacts of virus containment.
© AP President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force. At one point early in the crisis, while the president was at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr. Grogan tried to consolidate coronavirus work within the Domestic Policy Council, which the National Security Council had taken the lead on at the White House, irking health officials.
At times the internal tensions have broken out in the open. In an Oval Office meeting last week, Mr. Trump was told that Dr. Redfield had told Politico reporters about a looming shortage in materials the C.D.C. uses to extract genetic material from patient samples.
After Mr. Trump asked about the supply problem, Mr. Azar turned to his C.D.C. chief and asked whether he was going to answer the president, according to three senior administration officials who heard about the testy exchange.
© Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, may have received the most heat of anyone on the coronavirus task force. In an implicit rebuke of Dr. Redfield’s testing oversight, Mr. Azar announced on Friday that the assistant secretary for health, Adm. Brett P. Giroir, would oversee the federal government’s revived testing efforts, with Dr. Redfield and Dr. Hahn reporting up to him.
But Mr. Azar has hardly escaped Mr. Trump’s criticism. The president has complained about Mr. Azar’s television appearances, and prefers to see Ms. Verma, who has been jostling for a more prominent position on the task force, giving interviews, people familiar with the discussions said.
As the threat to the United States from the coronavirus became more acute, congressional Republicans urged Mr. Trump for a more aggressive response. Mr. Trump considered Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, and Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the F.D.A., for a role as “czar,” but he turned to Mr. Pence.
The choice was initially denounced by the president’s critics, who thought Mr. Pence would simply affirm the president’s desire to play down the looming threat. But some of those critics and several governors grappling with virus outbreaks have changed their mind about Mr. Pence, who has given near-daily briefings and, they said, has become a reassuring presence even as Mr. Trump has intermittently tried to retake the stage.
Still, Mr. Pence has his own critics: At least one White House adviser privately urged people outside the administration to go on television and criticize Mr. Pence and his aides. But Mr. Pence tried to navigate the internal dynamics. And then Mr. Kushner stepped in.
Mr. Kushner’s early involvement with dealing with the virus was in advising the president that the media’s coverage exaggerated the threat. But when Mr. Pence’s chief of staff asked him to help merge the Pence and Trump communications operations because the two-person shop in the vice president’s office found itself overwhelmed and trying to keep up, Mr. Kushner, long critical of the White House communications shop, tried to supplement the vice president’s team with other aides. One of them was Hope Hicks, the former White House communications director, who recently rejoined the administration as Mr. Kushner’s aide.
But Mr. Kushner also sought to take on a more expansive role for himself despite his lack of knowledge on the topic and without talking to most of the task force members or public health experts.
Mr. Kushner’s involvement has also introduced a new but familiar face at the Department of Health and Human Services: Adam Boehler, a close friend of Mr. Kushner, a former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services employee and the head of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Mr. Kushner dispatched Mr. Boehler to work with the department in its renewed efforts to increase testing, a move that Mr. Azar told associates he welcomed.
Mr. Kushner’s influence was immediately felt. He urged his father-in-law to go ahead with a ban on some travel from Europe and to declare a national emergency, after Mr. Trump had dithered and second-guessed himself for agreeing to it. He got executives at several pharmaceutical corporations to agree to help with mobilized testing efforts, and has pushed for an increase in medical supplies to hospitals.
But after Mr. Trump delivered an error-ridden Oval Office address last week, the president followed it with an appearance Friday in the Rose Garden in which he said Google had developed a coronavirus testing website that did not exist. Mr. Kushner was deeply involved in both efforts, and had sold his father-in-law on the website as a smart concept.
By Sunday evening, Mr. Trump was raging to aides that the press coverage was terrible after the promised national website failed to materialize. And on Monday, after Mr. Pence had been praised for his calm demeanor, Mr. Trump decided to answer questions from reporters himself.
“They’re working hand in hand,” Mr. Trump said in a White House news conference, flanked by members of the task force. “I think they’re doing really a great job.”
As for his own performance during the crisis? “I’d rate it a 10,” Mr. Trump said.
Click or tap here for the latest travel advice for people travelling back to the UK from affected areas, including whether to self-isolate. If you think you have the virus, don't go to the GP or hospital, stay indoors and get advice online. Only call NHS 111 if you cannot cope with your symptoms at home; your condition gets worse; or your symptoms do not get better after seven days. In parts of Wales where 111 isn't available, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. In Scotland, anyone with symptoms is advised to self-isolate for seven days. In Northern Ireland, call your GP.
Trump congratulates Kim on managing coronavirus in North Korea .
US President Donald Trump has written to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offering help to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Details of the letter came from the North Korean leadership, which welcomed it as a sign of "the special and very firm personal relations" between Mr Kim and Mr Trump.The letter reportedly contained praise for Mr Kim's efforts to defend his people from the disease, which has killed thousands of people around the world.The secretive nation claims it has been spared from the outbreak that originated in neighbouring China, but some observers have questioned whether that can be true.