RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Governor Ralph Northam gave an update on the Commonwealth's response to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a news conference Wednesday, Northam announced that state officials would be executing long-standing public health plans in response to the coronavirus.
There are currently no confirmed cases in Virginia.
So far, 17 people in Virginia have been tested for the coronavirus. Fourteen of them have been cleared, while officials are still waiting for the results of the other three individuals.
“The Commonwealth is taking this public health issue seriously, and we have a plan in place to respond to COVID-19,” Northam said. “The Virginia Department of Health has some of the country’s leading public health experts on its team, with deep experience guiding public health emergency responses, and I have great confidence in their ability to guide Virginia in this situation.”
State officials said that as of this week, potential cases of coronavirus in the Commonwealth will be tested at Virginia’s Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services, instead of at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta.
Virginia-based testing is expected to generate results within a few hours, allowing for faster responses.
The most up-to-date information on the coronavirus can be found at the Virginia Department of Health's website or on the CDC website.