Washington, March 28 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump has said he might prohibit travel in and out of the New York area to limit the spread of the coronavirus from its United States epicenter, as the death toll in the country surged past 2,000. 

But York Governor Andrew Cuomo slammed the US president's comments on Saturday, saying roping off New York, New Jersey and Connecticut would amount to "a federal declaration of war." 

It was not clear whether Trump would be able to block road, air and sea travel out of a region that serves as the economic engine of the eastern US, accounting for 10 percent of the population and 12 percent of GDP.

There are now more than 120,000 confirmed cases in the United States, the highest figure in the world. 

In Spain, the number of deaths from COVID-19, the illness caused by the new virus, rose to 5,690. The death toll in Italy, the hardest-hit country, jumped to 10,000. 

Worldwide, the number of cases has reached more than 660,000, of which more than 139,000 people have recovered.  More than 30,000 have died.