Arkansas and Missouri Governors address coronavirus preparations

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Two unexplained cases of coronavirus have been confirmed by health officials out West. One in California, the other in Oregon -- where officials say the infected person worked at an elementary school near Portland.

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In both new cases, health officials say the person didn't travel or come in close contact with anyone else with the disease.

Back here at home, Missouri and Arkansas state leaders say they're preparing for the possibility of an outbreak here.

So far there have been no confirmed cases of the virus in either Missouri or Arkansas. Both Governors say state health officials are learning more about the virus everyday - as they are in constant contact with the U.S health officials. Governor Hutchinson said Arkansans should take a common-sense approach and treat coronavirus just as they would the flu and Governor Parson's message to Missourians is to know what resources are available in your area and develop a plan for what to do if the virus spreads in your community.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson says 74 Arkansas Department of Health employees are working exclusively on the virus.

He says Arkansas is as prepared as possible for an outbreak.

He says Arkansans should take simple precautions to prevent an outbreak in the Natural State.

"Wash your hands use hand sanitizer and don't go to work if you are sick very common sense approach to this and that's what we are asking Arkansasns to do," Gov. Hutchinson said.

Back in Missouri, on Thursday, House Speaker Elijah Haahr appointed 11 people to the Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention.

That committee will host a public forum on Monday, for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to share their response to the coronavirus.

"The communication part of it is huge, Gov. Mike Parson told KY3. So we need to make sure everybody else, all our other directors, department heads, understand what their role would be and what our resources would have to do that. I think that's important that you know that early on. So this is somewhat a preparation for that, in case that should occur. Let's hope it doesn't. But I firmly believe we are going to do the best we can when that day comes. When we have to deal with it, we're going to deal with it."

If there is an outbreak, Governor Parson says he believes the state has enough medical supplies and money to fight the virus.

"I believe we do. Thank goodness things are well. Thank goodness we left some money on the bottom line in case there was an emergency like that, last year in the budget. But yeah, I think we're well prepared for that if the day comes," Gov. Parson explained.

Thursday, the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory was approved by the CDC to begin providing testing of the virus. The state will now be able test specimens and have results in the same day.

The coronavirus meeting is Monday at 1:30 in House Hearing Room 5 at the capitol building.