San Francisco Declares 'Emergency' To Combat Coronavirus Spread

San Francisco declared a "local emergency" on Tuesday over fears of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) taking hold in the city. No case of the deadly virus has yet been confirmed in San Francisco.

Mayor London Breed said that the local government is trying to "step up preparedness" as the COVID-19 spreads internationally, not giving it a chance to find roots in the city.

"Given the high volume of travel between SF and mainland China, it is likely we will see one or more cases eventually," Breed said in a statement.

She further pointed out that the chances of San Francisco residents catching the virus remain low unless they have a history of travel to affected areas in recent months.

"Your risk for this virus depends on travel history, not on race, ethnicity or culture," Breed said at a time when there have been increased racial attacks against Asian Americans over the coronavirus.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday had visited the Chinatown area in San Francisco to ease fears. She said that there's no reason for tourists or locals to avoid traveling to Chinatown, NBC reported.

At least 57 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the United States. Ten of these cases were confirmed in California.

More than 80,000 cases have been confirmed globally, with 2,762 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Photo Credit: Public domain photo via Wikimedia.