Two Michigan residents have tested “presumptive positive” for coronavirus COVID-19, the state’s first cases of the infectious disease, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday evening.

Whitmer said she is declaring a state of emergency.

“We’re going to keep Michigan safe and we’re going to be prudent," Whitmer said, adding she’ll be meeting with officials Wednesday to determine what next measures to take. An announcement on those measures is expected Wednesday afternoon, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

One of the coronavirus patients is an Oakland County woman with a recent history of international travel and the other is a Wayne County manwho had recent history of domestic travel, according to state officials

Both are middle-aged and both are hospitalized, state officials said.

The coronavirus tests were performed by the state Bureau of Laboratories, and specimens will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmatory testing.

“We are taking the identification of COVID-19 in our state very seriously,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “We continue to urge Michiganders to take precautions to prevent the spread of this virus in our state.”

Officials in Wayne and Oakland counties are working to identify close contacts of the coronavirus patients.

Whitmer stressed the importance of Michigan residents taking basic precautions such as thorough hand-washing with soap and water and avoiding touching their eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

What Michigan residents need to know about coronavirus

Michigan is the 38th state to have a confirmed case of coronavirus COVID-19. Nationwide, there have been almost 1,000 reported cases and 31 deaths.

State health officials have been preparing for weeks for a possible outbreak of coronavirus.

Earlier Tuesday, state officials said 124 people currently are being monitored by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for possible exposure.

All 124 are in “self-quarantine," spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin said.

“This includes referrals from CDC airport quarantine stations, self-referrals, close contacts of pending persons under investigation and health-care provider referrals entered by local health departments,” Sutfin said.

She did not know if any of those being monitored have known direct exposure to the virus.

A total of 39 people in Michigan have been tested for the virus, and all were negative, she said Tuesday morning.

In February, the state activated the Community Health Emergency Coordination Center and the State Emergency Operations Center to prepare for a possible outbreak in Michigan.

Whitmer also has created four task forces to combat the spread of coronavirus and assess the impact it may have on state operations, health care, schools and workplaces.

In addition, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has launched a campaign to raise awareness of appropriate hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

COVID-19 has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of China. There have been almost 120,000 cases globally, with over 4,300 deaths.

Person-to-person spread of the virus has occurred in the U.S., with some of those occurring in people with no travel history and no known source of exposure.

For the latest information, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus or CDC.gov/coronavirus.

PREVENTION TIPS

Much like how you would try to prevent the flu, you want to stay away from people who are sick and practice good hygiene, says the CDC.

The latter means thoroughly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom and before eating. Avoid touching your mouth or face unless your hands are clean.

Use household cleaners to disinfect commonly touched objects and surfaces. Use disinfectant wipes to clean your hands or surfaces such as shopping-cart handles when out in public.

Some people are going the extra step and using smartphone sanitizers as a precaution, but a disinfecting wipe used lightly on the outside will likely work fine, too.