SACRAMENT (KRON) – California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letters to federal leaders, urging them to provide additional emergency funds and services for a COVID-19 surge.

The first letter was sent to President Donald Trump requesting that he deploy USNC Mercy Hospital Ship to the port of Los Angeles where it can provide additional healthcare services to one of the most dense parts of the country.

In the letter, Newsom estimates that 56 percent of Californians — 25.5 million people — will be infected with the virus over an eight week period.

Whoa—



In his letter to the President, Governor Gavin Newsom warns the state projects roughly 56% of California’s population will be infected with the virus over an 8 week period.



That’s 25.5 million people. pic.twitter.com/Qf8kIOi6JS — Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) March 19, 2020

“This shows why it’s so critical that Californians take action to slow the spread of the disease – and those mitigation efforts aren’t taken into account in those numbers,” a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office said.

In an second letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Newsom requested $1 Billion in initial federal funding for COVID-19 response and pandemic surge planning and implementation.

Newsom also requested additional assistance for families and communities, small businesses, schools and essential services and programs.

Read the full letters below:

Latest Stories: