Florida is expected to declare a state of emergency after two patients tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to hold two news conferences today Monday and is expected to meet with Vice President Mike Pence in the afternoon.
The two adults have tested “presumptively positive" for COVID-19. That means the patients tested positive, but now the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has to test them to confirm the analysis.
One adult in Hillsborough County traveled to Italy and sought medical attention, and an adult Manatee County also traveled to a country the CDC has identified for restricted travel. Both patients are isolated.
Florida has eight test results pending for the new coronavirus, and so far has had 15 tests come back negative. There are 184 people who are being monitored by the health department - this includes people who have traveled to China in the last two weeks and people at risk of being exposed.
The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and trouble breathing.
"COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes," the health department said in a statement. "These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth."
