Governor Newsom declares state of emergency in California due to coronavirus

Earlier this afternoon California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California over concerns about the coronavirus.

The announcement came after a Placer County man became the first person in California to die from the coronavirus earlier today. According to state officials, the man was a passenger on a Princess Cruise ship that had traveled from San Francisco to Mexico February 11-21. The man was admitted to Kaiser hospital on February 27.

That same cruise ship dropped off passengers in San Francisco and picked up more before continuing to Hawaii. The ship was due back in San Francisco today but is being held off the coast of California. 10 passengers and 11 crew members have shown symptoms of the coronavirus. Test kits are being taken to the ship.

California has 53 confirmed cases and hundreds of others being watched. Thus far 10 people have died in the state of Washington in the past week.