7:49 p.m. ET, February 28, 2020

California public health laboratories receive coronavirus testing kits

A file image of the California Department of Public Health laboratory in Richmond, California. This is not an actual test of a novel coronavirus specimen. CAPublicHealth

Coronavirus testing kits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have arrived in California, the California Department of Public Health announced in a press release Friday.

The state will receive an additional shipment of testing kits to test up to 1,200 people, according to the press release.

“The availability to test at California’s public health laboratories is a significant step forward in our ability to respond rapidly to this evolving situation,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, CDPH director.

“As we face the likelihood of community transmission here in California, having this resource where we need it, is essential to better inform public health response and protect our communities," Angell said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the "new testing protocols and resources will help California medical experts identify and treat" coronavirus. It will also help trace potential exposures and better protect the public's health, he said.