Two people have tested positive in Georgia for a novel form of coronavirus behind a global outbreak, the state's Department of Health said Monday.

At a press conference reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and state officials said that two state residents tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to Italy, which is experiencing a significant outbreak.

“I want to reassure you that they’re at home, in home isolation with other household members, with minimal symptoms so they’re not hospitalized,” said Dr. Kathleen Toomey, head of the Department of Health.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Georgians should remain calm,” Kemp added, according to the newspaper. “We were ready for today.”

“We’re preparing for the worst and hoping for the best,” he reportedly added. “This is not something we’re just now thinking about.”

Georgia's announcement comes a day after the first case was reported in New York and as a half-dozen people in Washington state have died from the virus.

Tens of thousand of people have been reported with the disease worldwide, with the death toll from the outbreak crossing 3,000 this week. The outbreak is thought to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where thousands of cases have been reported.