Donald Trump has told Americans there is "no need to panic" over the coronavirus following the first death from the virus in the United States.

He also defended calling the crisis a "hoax" at a rally hours before a woman in Washington state lost her life from the virus, which has killed more than 2,000 people across the world.

Asked at a news conference on government plans to protect Americans about whether it was a mistake to use such language, Mr Trump said his comment was aimed at the Democrats' claims about his response.

He said: "No no no. 'Hoax' referring to the action they take to try and pin this on somebody, because we've done such a good job."

Mike Pence, who is heading the taskforce on coronavirus, announced a series of new travel restrictions which the administration hopes will help limit the spread of the deadly virus.

The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Show all 11 1 /11 The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Visitors with suspected symptoms of the new coronavirus, inside of a car, bottom right, get virus test by members of medical team as others queue in their cars at a "drive-through" test facility at Yeungnam University Medical Center in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Workers move equipment into containers set up as a makeshift medical facility to accommodate COVID-19 patients at a hospital's grounds in Daegu, South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea People wait in line to buy face masks in front of a store at Dongseongro shopping district in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical workers wearing protective gears comfort each other outside a hospital in Daegu, South Korea, on 28 February 2020 REUTERS The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical staff in protective gears arrive for a duty shift at Dongsan Hospital in Daegu South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A man wears a mask and goggles as he waits in line to buy face masks from a post office near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea South Korean medical workers wearing protective gear visit a residence of people with suspected symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus to take samples, near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean army vehicle sprays disinfectant on a road to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea on Thursday 27 February 2020. AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Troops set up makeshift partitions and beds at the Armed Forces Hospital in Daegu South Korea 28 February 2020 EPA

The existing travel ban on Iran will be extended to include foreign nationals who have travelled there in the previous 14 days, while US government advice against travel to areas of Italy and South Korea will be strengthened.

Mr Trump also said he was considering travel restrictions on the southern border with Mexico, although there have been no known cases of coronavirus transmission there.

The president insisted that the markets would "come back", following historic losses over the past week over fears that the crisis could hit the economy, both through supply lines but also through a drop in consumer spending as people worried about catching it stayed at home.

A sombre President Trump, who had been widely criticised for not appearing to take the crisis seriously at his previous news conference, allowed public health expert Dr Anthony Fauci and his health secretary Alex Azar to speak, and told reporters: "We'll be doing this quite often and keep you abreast of all the facts."

Speaking of the person who died in Washington, he said that she was a "wonderful woman" in her late 50s who was at high medical risk, although officials in Washington later said the patient who died was a man. An official in the West Coast state said there were a number of other people infected.

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The president encouraged Americans not to alter their daily routines, saying the country was "super prepared" for a wider outbreak, adding: "There's no reason to panic at all.

"You're talking about 22 people right now in this whole very vast country. I think we'll be in very good shape."