DC Mayor Bowser declares state of emergency after coronavirus cases increase to 10
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency and public health emergency amid the growing number of coronavirus outbreaks in the region.
The number of confirmed and "presumptively positive" cases of the virus in the District has increased to 10 from the previously reported four.
Mayor Bowser said the declaration will allow her to use more resources to respond to the outbreak, including requests that may come in for federal aid.
RELATED: World Health Organization declares COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic
This comes after the World Health Organization declared that the virus sweeping the globe is now a pandemic with more than 124,000 total confirmed cases.
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D.C. Public Schools also began training educators for virtual learning scenarios in the event in-person classroom instruction is suspended due to the virus, announcing that Monday would be closed for a professional day.
Additionally, health officials in the District recommend postponing or canceling non-essential mass gatherings of 1000 people or more due to coronavirus concerns.
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“Mass gatherings are defined as events where 1,000 or more people congregate in a specific location,” read a statement from the D.C. Health Department. “We also recommend that any social, cultural, or entertainment events where large crowds are anticipated be reconsidered by the organizer.”