<span style="color: #222222;">Australia on Thursday put forward a 11.4 billion US dollars stimulus package to stave off a recession due to the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The package includes cash payments for small businesses and welfare recipients.<br />''<br />''Australia has recorded more than 120 cases of the virus and three deaths. The World Health Organization declared the global coronavirus crisis as a pandemic on Wednesday causing, jolting markets worldwide and raising the sense of urgency surrounding efforts to contain it.<br />''<br />''The Australian government will spend 7.1 billion US dollars before June 30, the end of the financial year, with the remainder to be spent before July 2021.<br />''<br />''Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the package would provide an immediate stimulus to Australia's economy. Up to 6.5 million people – nearly a quarter of the country's population on government benefits will receive one-off payments of 485 US dollars.<br />''<br />''The stimulus measures were announced following a 1.6 billion US dollar health package, which includes up to 100 coronavirus fever clinics to be set up.</span><br />