‘We have a plan in place’: No confirmed cases of coronavirus in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The state is on alert for the COVID-19 also known as coronavirus.

© Provided by Richmond-Petersburg WWBT Governor Ralph Northam will hold a press conference about preparations the state of Virginia will take on the coronavirus crisis.

Late Wednesday morning, Governor Ralph Northam and a team of state heath experts announced the commonwealth has no positive cases and would like to keep it that way.

State health officials say COVID-19 is “a serious public health threat.” But at the same time saying the risk for Virginians right now is low.

Northam said the state is prepared to deal with the virus fallout.

“The Commonwealth is taking this public health issue seriously, and we have a plan in place to respond to COVID-19,” Governor Northam said. “The Virginia Department of Health has some of the country’s leading public health experts on its team, with deep experience guiding public health emergency responses, and I have great confidence in their ability to guide Virginia in this situation.”

A team meets daily to track trends.

The state health department says 17 people have been tested for the virus - 14 were negative, three still have results pending.

The governor says now is not the time to panic, rather prepare yourself for what may come.

“My top priority is to keep Virginians safe and also to keep you informed with up-to-date and accurate information. I want to assure Virginians we are actively monitoring this new disease and it’s spread,” said Northam.

Virginia’s secretary of finance said it will cost the state $3.6 million over the next 90 days for personal protection equipment. Another $6.5 million could be needed over the next year.

The state has two testing kits. That may sound low, but both kits can test between 50 and 60 people. More testing kits are on order.

Officials say Virginians can take these precautions to prevent the potential spread of the illness:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Accurate and reliable information about the coronavirus can be found on VDH’s website or the Center of Diseases and Control (CDC) website.

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