UPDATE 1-White House to seek more money to combat coronavirus -reports

The White House is readying a request for emergency funding from U.S. lawmakers to help boost the nation's response to the fast-spreading new coronavirus, Politico and the Washington Post reported, citing unnamed individuals familiar with the planning.

The Washington Post on Monday said the White House could ask for close to $1 billion from Congress in the coming days, citing three unnamed people who the newspaper said remained anonymous because they were not authorized to reveal the deliberation. Politico first reported the preparations for additional U.S. funding to combat the virus that has spread beyond China with growing outbreaks in South Korea, Iran, and Italy, rattling global markets.

Representatives for the White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Representatives for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could not be immediately reached. Both the Washington Post and Politico, which cited four unnamed people with knowledge of the plans, said the pending request was still in the early stages and that the actual amount sought could change.