North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave residents an update on the coronavirus outbreak and what it means for the state Monday evening.
In a video posted to Twitter, Cooper said public health experts are "working around the clock to be on alert and on the ready."
Earlier this year, the governor appointed a task force led by the State Public Health Department and the Director of Emergency Management to coordinate the state's prevention and preparation response. Cooper assured residents that the task force has the state ready and said he gets regular updates from the task force as well as the state's federal partners.
According to the task force, Cooper said, North Carolina does expect to begin seeing cases of the new coronavirus. He's encouraging residents to take "commonsense" steps to protect themselves and their families, mentioning that the simplest steps are the most important: Washing your hands often and avoiding touching your face as much as you can; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; cleaning and disinfecting surfaces frequently and staying home if you're sick.
Related: Virginia's public health laboratory begins testing for coronavirus
The governor also mentioned that "there's a lot of bad information" circulating regarding the coronavirus and encouraged people to make sure they're getting information from reliable sources.
"I understand people are anxious and worried, and I want to assure you that the state of North Carolina is taking this seriously. I encourage all North Carolinians to do the same," Cooper said.
Click here for updates on the coronavirus response in North Carolina.
