San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday although there have not been any cases of the deadly virus discovered in the city.
“With the continued rise of the coronavirus across the world, we need to allocate more resources to make sure that we are prepared,” said Breed, who promised that health officials were ready if the outbreak reaches San Francisco.
There have been patients treated at San Francisco hospitals for the COVID-19, but none of those cases originated in the city.
Dr. Tomas Aragon, a city health officer, says that the extra resources allocated by this declaration will be used to focus on schools and congregate living situations.
The declaration of a state of emergency allows the city to get federal funds to recoup spending.
Breed reminded San Francisco residents to wash their hands and stay home if they are sick. She also urged residents not to avoid Chinatown out of fear, because it hurts small businesses. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi toured the neighborhood Monday in a show of support.
Santa Clara County also declared a state of emergency earlier this month over COVID-19.
