Officials in Guilford and Frosyth counties, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Rockingham County declared states of emergency effective Friday.
The declarations were made in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The announcements come after 15 presumptive cases of the virus were identified in North Carolina. Two people from Forsyth County, two from Mecklenburg, and a person from Johnston County are among the cases that tested presumptively positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19.) This brings the total of positive cases in North Carolina to 15, including a Durham resident who tested positive in another state, according to state health officials.
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday afternoon to boost funding that will go toward fighting the virus. Trump said the emergency opens up nearly $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak. Additionally, the president said interest on federally owned student loans would be waived in an effort to ease the financial impact of the virus outbreak.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced a state of emergency for North Carolina during a press conference on Tuesday.
The World Health Organization declared a pandemic Wednesday.
A pandemic classification is more about how disease spreads than its severity. Essentially this just means that the disease has been popping up in many countries, not that it's getting worse.
WHAT IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY?
This means the state will have broader powers and flexible spending in efforts to prevent the virus from spreading. Price gouging laws will also take effect. State officials are also recommending that people over 65 years old, who are in the high-risk category, not attend large gatherings. He also urged companies to allow employees to work from home if at all possible.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the same measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses. That means washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 to find out more information.
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