The Health Services Department delivered an update to the Dubuque City Council on what they're doing to be ready for potential coronavirus cases on Monday.

The goal was to inform the council but, also, let the public know the city is ready.

Officials were there to inform the council, as well as the public at large to give reassurance that the city will be ready if cases arrive. They are attempting to accomplish this by encouraging staying home if you have flu-like symptoms, washing your hands, keeping clean spaces, and covering your cough.

Emergency services are also ready to limit the amount of first responders to patients with potential symptoms to control exposure.

"We have plans that address new communicable diseases or existing ones and of course as they develop we adapt those plans to the current situation," Mary Rose Corrigan, a public health specialist, said. "And that's what we are doing now."

Patients will also have to answer additional screening questions on care reports to track the virus should it show up.