San Diego County, in Southern California, has declared a "local emergency" and "public health emergency" due to concerns over the novel coronavirus, said county officials.
County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher called these declarations a precautionary measure that will help the county coordinate efforts to ensure access to supplies and protect public health.
The declaration doesn’t “signify an increase risk to the residents of San Diego County from coronavirus," Fletcher added.
There are currently two American evacuees from Wuhan, China, who were evacuated to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and tested positive for coronavirus. They are being treated at the University of California San Diego Health Center.
Cases in the US: 443 people in the United States are under investigation for the novel coronavirus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of them, 15 have tested positive, 347 have tested negative, and 81 are still pending.