Trump administration to renew coronavirus emergency declaration

The Trump administration is renewing the public health emergency declaration for the coronavirus, ensuring key resources for fighting the pathogen will be in place well past Election Day.

The news, which HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced in a Friday afternoon tweet, comes just hours after President Donald Trump announced he tested positive for the coronavirus.

The background: The declaration unlocks critical powers that have helped the administration boost telehealth, enabled increased Medicaid funding and allowed cash-strapped local health departments to reassign federally funded personnel to respond to the virus.