Gov. Baker explains plans for possible coronavirus outbreak

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Coronavirus concerns are reaching the desk of Governor Charlie Baker.

© Provided by WGGB – Western Massachusetts

(Western Mass News photo)

Western Mass News caught up with him today with more on his plans if the outbreak should reach Massachusetts.

While there are 82,000 cases worldwide, there is only one confirmed case of coronavirus so far in Massachusetts, but officials are preparing for a possible outbreak as the virus spreads overseas.

Right now there are talks on how to handle the upcoming Boston Marathon, which attracts runners all over the world.

"We remain a low threat state and respect to this," Gov. Baker said.

Gov. Baker reminding people that as coronavirus concerns grow across the world, the risk is still low in Massachusetts, but officials want to keep it that way.

"I think that’s why people are so aggressive about limiting the number of airports people can fly into in us if you were coming from china once the word broke about the virus and then doing a check on everybody who came off the planes," Gov. Baker explained.

Governor Baker told Western Mass News that there are daily communications on the coronavirus with federal agencies and officials have been getting plans in place since the outbreak began in China back in January.

But now the conversation is turning to the Boston Marathon in April, focusing on how to handle the runners who have qualified from all over the world.

"At some point between now and the end of the middle of March a decision needs to be made on how they want to move," Gov. Baker noted.

He said the Boston Athletic Association is in direct communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

"Talking to other colleagues in other countries that typically send a lot of runners. Until they have more data on this deciding exactly what the right protocol should be for this is still in what I would describe as a planning stage," Gov. Baker explained.

Governor Baker said that right now, the flu is the biggest issue in the state and that there have been more than 30,000 reported flu cases in Massachusetts so far.