U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency as the novel coronavirus spreads in the United States.

In a press conference in the White House Rose Garden on Friday, he said he was declaring a national emergency -- "two very big words" -- to free up 50 billion dollars in federal resources to combat the virus.

Trump said he was allowing his health secretary to waive certain regulations to provide more flexibility to doctors and hospitals responding to the outbreak. 

He said the government has also been in discussions with pharmacies and retailers on making drive-thru tests available in critical locations identified by public health professionals. The goal for these would be for individuals to be swabbed and tested without having to leave their cars.

Trump also said he was waiving interest on student loans and purchasing more crude oil for the U.S. strategic reserve.

When asked why he wasn't getting tested himself, Trump said he never said that he wouldn't and he would likely receive one "fairly soon." 

He again hinted at easing travel warnings on certain nations such as China and South Korea, saying that as some countries make progress and get down to a number the U.S. likes, the country will ease up on restrictions.

The number of COVID-19 cases has surpassed 18-hundred in America, leading to droves of events being cancelled. The state of Louisiana has delayed its presidential primary while the city of Boston, Massachusetts, has postponed the Boston Marathon scheduled for next month to September.

Many schools in the U.S. will or are expected to close for two to three weeks.