At least 19 people have now died in the United States from the coronavirus as the virus spread to 30 states with the latest of the hundreds of confirmed cases nationwide reported in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and New York, Eurasia Diary reports citing Aljazeera.

The latest deaths were reported in Florida on Saturday, involving two people in their 70s, while Washington, DC registered its first case.

On Saturday, New York became the latest state to declare an emergency as the number of those infected by the virus rose to 89.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Saturday that a man in his 50s tested positive for coronavirus in Washington, DC. Another person - also in his 50s and living in Nigeria - who travelled through the city, has also tested positive in Maryland, Bowser said.

Jennifer Smith, who leads Washington's public health laboratory, said officials had the capability to test about 50 patients per day. The district has also ordered more than 42,000 masks to be delivered to the district's fire and emergency medical workers, officials said. 

Virginia recorded its first case on Saturday when a US Marine stationed at Fort Belvoir was found to have the virus.

To contain the epidemic, concerts, festivals and other public events have been cancelled across the US.