Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Jared Schutz PolisMore than 1,000 gather at Colorado racetrack to protest governor's coronavirus orders Over 300 LGBT leaders endorse Biden for president : 'The most pro-equality ticket in US history' Colorado GOP lawmaker, Michelle Malkin sue governor over coronavirus orders MORE (D) on Tuesday declared a state of emergency, calling to raise the number of people being tested for COVID-19 in an effort to stem the outbreak in the state.

“We’re acting quickly and decisively because the quicker we can respond, the quicker we can protect the most vulnerable,” Polis said, according to an ABC affiliate in Denver.

So far, Colorado has confirmed 12 cases of the coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE).

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The governor said he would continue to pressure the federal government to “rapidly expand the testing capacity” and that expansion would likely reveal a rise in positive cases, according to the report.

Polis has instructed the state Department of Labor and Employment to begin rulemaking so that workers in the food, child care and hospitality industries can take paid sick leave to miss work if they experience flu-like symptoms.

The order would allow employees to be tested for COVID-19 and receive compensation while waiting on the test results.

“At the end of the day, the success of our response depends on individual responsibility,” Polis said. “It depends on the public taking the threat as seriously as public health officials.”

Polis said the state of emergency is a 30-day order that is subject to renewal as needed.

Reports from the CSSE indicate there are more than 793 cases and 28 deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19.