KINGSTON — A day after public health officials confirmed community transfer of the novel coronavirus in the Kingston area, local municipal governments have declared states of emergency to help municipal agencies deal with the pandemic.

The declarations come on the recommendation of Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health, which on Wednesday announced three new cases of COVID-19, including two health-care workers who are believed to be the first cases of person-to-person transmission in the area.

Municipalities across the local public health area announced emergency declarations early Thursday afternoon.

“As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we’re evolving with it. Declaring a state of emergency is not something I take lightly,” Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson said. “This is about making sure we’re taking every step possible to support our community during this challenging time. We need access to any and all resources available, and this declaration provides more flexibility to take local action. Let’s continue to do our part to flatten the curve by acting on the advice of our public health officials by staying home, leaving only if necessary, and practising physical distancing.”

The declarations are effective immediately and are to be in place indefinitely.

“We are a critical juncture,” Loyalist Township Mayor Bresee said. “We must act urgently and collectively to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Every person in our community plays an important role; I implore our residents to follow the important advice from our local public health unit.”

“We are taking these extreme measures to get the message across to everyone in our region that this is indeed a real emergency. People need to pay attention. People need to stay home and self-isolate. This is not something that is just in the big cities. It’s here and people need to act,” Frontenac County Warden Frances Smith added.

On Tuesday night, Kingston city council unanimously approved granting the city’s chief administrative officer, Lanie Hurdle, authority to make decisions about the city’s COVID-19 response.

A state of emergency declaration takes that process up a notch.

According to the city’s emergency preparedness plan, declaration of a state of emergency can be made by the most senior city staff and elected officials, including the mayor and the CAO.

A state of emergency will allow streamlined decision-making that focuses on supporting essential services and workers fighting the pandemic.

As of Thursday morning, there were 14 confirmed cases of the virus in the Kingston area, according to public health.

“We must act now to address this serious public health threat. This situation clearly illustrates the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 and emphasizes the importance of practising physical distancing and self-isolation in order to control the community spread of the virus,” Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer of health, said in a news release.

At Wednesday’s public health board meeting, Moore warned that community transmission must be stopped to avoid the health-care system from being overwhelmed.

By making the emergency declaration, Kingston joins municipalities across Canada, including Toronto, Ottawa and the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward, that have made similar declarations.

The province declared a state of emergency on March 16.

With files from Alan S. Hale