Virginia now has 17 presumptive positive cases of the coronavirus confirmed by the Virginia Department of Health, with 15 cases confirmed inside the state and two Virginians currently in Texas also testing positive. Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in the state in regards to this pandemic.
Four of the cases are in Eastern Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
“Our top priority is to make sure Virginians stay safe and healthy, and that our response to this situation leaves no one behind,” said Governor Northam. “From our health department, to our schools, to our hospitals, to our transit systems, Virginia’s agencies and institutions have been thoroughly planning for every scenario. This emergency declaration will ensure we can continue to prepare for and appropriately respond to Virginians’ needs during this time.”
The Virginia Department of Health also said that 117 Virginians have tested negative for the virus.
As health fears spread, many universities in Virginia have closed their campuses. As of right now, more than 20 schools have confirmed their plans to move to online schooling. To see a full list of schools involved, click here.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will issue a travel restriction between the US and Europe beginning Friday due to the spread of coronavirus.
Trump said during a rare Oval Office address on Wednesday that the travel restriction will last at least 30 days.
Cases of COVID-19 are also being reported in a growing number of countries internationally, including the United States, where the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on January 21, 2020 in a traveler who had recently returned from Wuhan.
