Biodun.BBC: BREAKING: Coronavirus: US now global epicentre of pandemic

First responders evacuate sick crew members with flu-like symptoms from two cruise ships in Miami

by Melissa Gruz and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, Washington

The US now has recorded most cases of coronavirus in the world with more than 82,404 confirmed positive tests.

According to the latest figures collated by Johns Hopkins University, the US overtook China (81,782 cases) and Italy (80,589).

The grim milestone came as President Donald Trump predicted the nation would get back to work "pretty quickly", after 3.3 million layoffs.

More than 1,100 people with Covid-19 have died in the US.

What did President Trump say?

At a White House briefing on Thursday afternoon, Mr Trump said: "They have to go back to work, our country has to go back, our country is based on that and I think it's going to happen pretty quickly.

"We may take sections of our country, we may take large sections of our country that aren't so seriously affected and we may do it that way."

He added: "A lot of people misinterpret when I say go back, they're going to be practising as much as you can social distancing, and washing your hands and not shaking hands and all of the things we talked about."

(This is a breaking story. Please come back here for more details.)