World goes on to war footing to fight coronavirus pandemic

The US government has approved the use of the malarial drug choloroquine for treating Covid-19, President Trump announced today. The suggestion is it can help fight the disease.

Trump also described himself as a “wartime president” and promised “total victory” over coronavirus. As part of the move to massively step up the US response, which has been widely criticised as inadequate, domestic production of medical supplies is to be massively increased using a Korean War era law to expedite the process.