Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott provided an update Wednesday to the community about COVID-19. “Today the threat of community spread in Austin remains low, however we are prepared for it to happen here,” he said. [RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AMERICAN-STATESMAN] ▲

Even as coronavirus fears grow across the globe, Austin Public Health officials on Wednesday said that canceling next week's South by Southwest festival won't make the city safer from the virus.

"Today the threat of community spread in Austin remains low, however, we are prepared for it to happen here," said Dr. Mark Escott, interim medical director and health authority for Austin Public Health. He said it is not a matter of if but when COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, shows up in Austin.

On Tuesday, Escott said at least one person in Travis County was being tested for COVID-19. The test results were still pending Wednesday.

The city's response to the coronavirus scare involves convening a panel of health officials, including local physicians and infectious diseases experts, to evaluate how the virus is affecting Austin. The panel met Tuesday night to weigh the risks of upcoming mass gatherings like SXSW, Escott said.

"Right now, there is no evidence that closing South by Southwest or other activities is going to make this community safer. We are constantly monitoring that situation," he said. "We've asked this group to evaluate that, and if there's any evidence that our community will be safer by closing down public events, we'll do that."

If Austin Public Health recommends canceling SXSW, festival organizers are prepared to comply, Austin Mayor Steve Adler said.

"Conceivably, if we had somebody that wasn't closing an event that was unsafe, then I can declare a medical emergency. The (Travis) county judge could declare a medical emergency, and then we could force that. I think the medical officer himself probably could enforce that," Adler said. "But I'm not sure that any of those things are going to be necessary. South By's already said that if the medical officers and the experts recommend that South by be canceled, then they're going to cancel."

One concern worrying the panel is that even if Austin Public Health recommended shutting down SXSW, people who had planned to attend it would come to the city anyway.

"They will travel, they'll do what they were normally going to do, but without that organizational structure that South by Southwest provides," Escott said.

Escott said SXSW organizers have been extremely responsive to mitigation strategies.

Festival attendees will see an increase in hand-washing stations, the presence of hand sanitizer and hygiene messaging through signs placed in venues, Escott said.

Before SXSW employees and volunteers are allowed to work during festivals, they will be screened for fever and other illnesses, Escott said.

"Obviously, as the number of people increases at a particular venue and the density of that venue increases, the risk of spreading infection, of COVID-19, of influenza or anything else, is going to increase," he said.

Capital Metro on Wednesday said that in addition to cleaning transit vehicles daily, it is applying disinfectant to poles, handrails, armrests, door handles and stop-request buttons.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently made it easier for people to be tested for COVID-19. Patients no longer need to have traveled to a country with transmission of the disease to be tested.

Instead, patients with a fever and lower respiratory illness, like pneumonia, that requires hospitalization, and no other diagnoses can be made, can be tested for COVID-19.

University of Texas President Gregory L. Fenves on Wednesday said that all classes, programs and operations at the campus are continuing as normal. UT students, faculty and staff who have recently returned to the United States from a country with a CDC level 2 or level 3 travel advisory are required to self-isolate for 14 days before coming to campus.

Federal, state and local officials have all stressed the importance of personal hygiene to help combat the spread of the new coronavirus.

The virus is disseminated primarily when a person coughs or sneezes and spreads respiratory droplets or between people who are within 6 feet of each other. Health authorities recommend covering your mouth or nose when you sneeze or cough.

People also should wash their hands regularly and keep unwashed hands away from their faces.

The CDC also acknowledges that a person could get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or possibly eyes.

Escott said people who are 65 or older and those with health issues should be more cautious than others.

SXSW, which kicks off March 14 and lasts until March 22, has weathered a flurry of cancellations by major tech companies, including Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, over coronavirus fears.

Far East Fest, an annual Asian food festival in Austin, has postponed its March 29 event over COVID-19 concerns.

SXSW's website says it is working closely on a daily basis with local, state and federal officials to make sure the festivals are safe.

"As a result of this dialogue and the recommendations of Austin Public Health, the 2020 event is proceeding with safety as a top priority," the website says.

Nine people in the United States have died and at least 80 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across 13 states, the CDC said.

No cases of the COVID-19 illness have been confirmed in Central Texas, but at least 10 people under quarantine in San Antonio have been infected. The number of cases and deaths has changed daily, but at least 92,000 cases and 3,100 deaths have been confirmed worldwide.

"This disease is bad, OK? It's probably more deadly than flu, but it's not Ebola. It's not SARS. It's not MERS. The likelihood now is that the case fatality rate is less than 1%," Escott said.

Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt echoed Escott and urged the public to observe such healthy practices as covering their sneezes and coughs and washing their hands.

"Keep calm and carry on, y'all, and remember what your mama taught ya," Eckhardt said.