US To Issue Order Friday To Crack Down On COVID-19 Medical Supply Black Market - Adviser

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2020) US President Donald Trump will issue an order on Friday to crack down on the sale of COVID-19-related medical supplies in the black market, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said during a press briefing.

"What's going to happen tomorrow is the president is going to sign another order which is in the works," Navarro said in the briefing on Thursday. "What it's going to do is it's going to empower Customs and Border Protection with the help of people like the Post Office and express mail like UPS to basically deal with that issue. We are going to crack down unmercifully."

Navarro said there is a black market springing up amid the pandemic for medical equipment essential to deal with the novel coronavirus, such as protective gear, which has been driving the cost up for supplies.

Navarro added that the domestic sources being sold in the black market in the United States are being exported to foreign purchasers.

Navarro urged hoarders of medical supplies in the black market to contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to sell equipment to the government at a fair price.

The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has exceeded one million with more than 52,800 deaths as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Johns Hopkins University. The United States has confirmed more than 242,000 cases and 5,850 deaths.