The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed and sent to President Donald Trump an 8.3 billion U.S. dollars funding bill to help state and local governments combat the spreading coronavirus, as public health experts outlined efforts to rapidly accelerate testing for the disease.

By a vote of 96-1, the Senate approved legislation that was overwhelmingly passed on Wednesday by the House of Representatives.

Republican Senator Rand Paul, who objected to spending the money without first reducing federal spending elsewhere, was the lone dissenter.

Trump is expected to sign the bill into law so that the billions of dollars can flow toward developing vaccines against the highly contagious coronavirus and aiding international efforts to control transmission.

Trump initially requested 2.5 billion U.S. dollars, with much of that coming from previously appropriated funds.

Action by Congress comes as U.S. deaths related to coronavirus infections rose to 11, on Wednesday, and new cases were identified on both coasts - around New York City and Los Angeles.

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(With input from Reuters)