White House asks Congress for $1.25 billion to help fight coronavirus

The Trump administration on Monday asked Congress for $1.25 billion in emergency funding to fight the deadly coronavirus -- blamed for 2,622 deaths worldwide and threatening the global economy.

The administration is also asking Congress to redirect $535 billion from Ebola prevention and treatment, to also help fund its overall, $2.5 billion effort to address the coronavirus outbreak, according to a letter Monday to Congress from Russell Vought, the White House Office of Management and Budget acting director.

The supplemental funding will help accelerate vaccine development, support preparedness and response activities and to procure much needed equipment and supplies, according to an OMB statement obtained by news outlets.

The administration has already closed U.S. borders to some foreign nationals who have recently traveled to China and has limited inbound flights from China to 11 U.S. airports with advanced screening in place.

There are 35 confirmed cases of the virus in the U.S. but no reported deaths as of Feb. 19, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO also reports a total of 79,407 confirmed cases in 23 countries.

Congressional Democrats are reportedly critical of the administration’s appropriations request, contending it fails to sufficiently address the outbreak.

"The Trump administration’s request for emergency funding is woefully insufficient to protect Americans from the deadly coronavirus outbreak," said New York Rep. Nita Lowery, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, according to The Hill newspaper.

The virus, COVID- 19, was first reported in Wuhan, China on Dec. 31, 2019, and in recent days and weeks has become a major health concern in Italy, South Korea and other countries. 

On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 1,000 points, amid investor fears that the spreading virus will weaken the global economy.