US President Trump in a news conference on Wednesday said the US was "very, very ready" to handle the coronavirus, as he appointed his vice president Mike Pence to take charge of the outbreak.

His message contradicts an earlier report by a US Center for Disease Control official who said the spread of the virus was a matter of "when, not if" - and warned that it could cause a "severe disruption" to everyday life.

Mr Trump also said researchers were in the process of "rapidly developing" a vaccine. However, Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said he did not expect a vaccine to be ready for at least a year.