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President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting about the coronavirus at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Friday, March 6, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Associated Press

More Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the novel coronavirus than approve, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday.

The poll, which was conducted from March 5 to March 8, found that 43% of registered voters approve of Trump's response to the outbreak, while 49% disapprove.

More voters have confidence that the US healthcare system will handle the virus better than the federal government, the poll found.

Sixty-six percent of voters said they're confident the healthcare system will appropriately handle the virus, while 30% were not confident. Conversely, 53% of voters said they're confident in the federal government, and 43% said they are not.

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More Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the novel coronavirus than approve, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Monday.

The poll, which was conducted from March 5 to March 8, found that 43% of registered voters approve of Trump's response to the outbreak, while 49% disapprove.

There was a significant split between party lines, similar to Trump's overall job approval rating. According to to the poll, 87% of Republicans approve of Trump's handling of coronavirus, 83% of Democrats disapprove, and 50% of independents disapprove.

Quinnipiac's poll found that 54% of voters are either very or somewhat concerned that they or someone they know will be infected with coronavirus. Forty-five percent of voters said they are not so concerned or not concerned at all. Democrats are the most concerned, followed by independents, and then Republicans, who are the least concerned, according to the poll.

Meanwhile, nearly 60% of voters said they are either very or somewhat concerned the coronavirus outbreak will disrupt their daily lives.

More voters had confidence that the US healthcare system will handle the virus better than the federal government: 66% said they're confident the healthcare system will appropriately handle the virus, while 30% were not confident. Conversely, 53% of voters said they're confident in the federal government, and 43% said they are not.

On Monday, the World Health Organization classified the rapidly spreading virus as a pandemic.

There are nearly 600 confirmed cases in the US, which is nearly double the number that was reported on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged by more than 1,800 points after the opening bell on Monday, and the S&P 500 tanked by seven percent, triggering a failsafe that suspended all trading for 15 minutes.

But stocks continued falling even after the market re-opened, and by mid-afternoon, the Dow dropped by more than 2,000 points to its lowest level since January of last year.

Trump and his administration officials have continuously either downplayed or ignored warnings from public health officials that the virus could severely disrupt public life if it continues spreading at its current rate within the US.

On Monday morning, the president blamed Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the mainstream media for the stock market's dismal performance and for the recent drop in oil prices. Meanwhile, his advisers and political allies continued insisting that the US has contained the coronavirus and that investors and the public don't need to be worried.

The president also suggested in a tweet that Americans shouldn't treat the novel coronavirus any differently than they do the seasonal flu.

"So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year," Trump tweeted. "Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!"

US health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are urging Americans to limit person-to-person contact, particularly among those 60 years of age or older, who are significantly more vulnerable to coronavirus.

"And so, what we're telling folks is that if you're in an at-risk group, meaning you're elderly and/or you have comorbidities — heart disease, lung disease, you're immunosuppressed for whatever reason — that you should be taking extra precautions not to put yourself in a situation where you may be exposed," Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Sunday.

Eliza Relman contributed reporting.

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