California Governor Declares State of Emergency

Governor Gavin Newsom has declared California in a state of emergency following their first coronavirus-related death. 58 of the 158 cases in the U.S. are in California alone. Governor Newsom said it was necessary to make the declaration yesterday afternoon in order to prevent a more widespread outbreak. Governor Newsom also confirmed that a Grand Princess cruise ship which recently departed from Hawaii for San Francisco is carrying 21 crew and passengers exhibiting symptoms. It’s believed the couple thousand people on board have been exposed. Newsom said they will not be allowed abroad until everyone is “properly assessed”. In response to the increased concern of an outbreak in the U.S., the house has also passed a bill that would provide approximately $8.3 billion towards a coronavirus response. This includes research and outbreak prevention.