FALMOUTH —Falmouth officials announced they have an emergency preparedness plan in place that covers mass outbreaks in the event the coronavirus, or COVID 19, emerges locally.

Town Manager Nathan Poore, Council Chairwoman Amy Kuhn and Fire Chief Howard Rice are meeting regularly to discuss and monitor the situation, it was announced on the town’s website. Rice is the town’s director of emergency management and will be working closely with Cumberland County and state officials if the virus becomes an issue. In addition, the post said the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the federal CDC to “monitor the situation, provide health care providers with the latest information, and stay up-to-date on any potential cases.”

As of Monday, March 2, the New York Times reported that COVID 19 cases were confirmed in 13 states, including New York and Rhode Island. New cases were also reported in Florida, which has already declared a public health emergency. Also, as of Monday, five people in the U.S. who tested positive have died. All of those deaths were in Washington state. “This is an evolving situation,” the post said, “(and) Falmouth will continue to provide updates via the town website, at falmouthme.org/emergency-management, and our social media pages as more information becomes available.”

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