Washington, Feb 25 (AFP/APP): The White House plans to spend a total of $2.5 billion fighting the deadly new coronavirus as infections mushroom around the globe, US media reported Monday. In a request to Congress, President Donald Trump’s administration asked for $1.8 billion in emergency spending, according to The Washington Post. The request was for $1.25 billion in new funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the transfer of an additional $535 million originally set aside to fight Ebola. The White House said it expected to draw additional money from other agencies throughout the government, as well as from the reprioritization of Health and Human Services funding, for a total of $2.5 billion. Democrats immediately slammed the request as too low, and the House Appropriations Committee released a statement calling it “woefully insufficient.” “Despite urgent warnings from Congress and the public health community, the Trump administration took weeks to request these emergency funds,” said committee chairwoman Nita Lowey. “It is profoundly disturbing that their answer now is to raid money Congress has designated for other critical public health priorities. Worse still, their overall request still falls short of what is needed for an effective, comprehensive … Continue reading White House asks Congress for $2.5 billion to fight coronavirus: report