Los Angeles County has declared a local emergency over the new coronavirus.
The move frees up federal and California state funding to tackle the disease.
Kathryn Barger, chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, told reporters on Wednesday that it's "not a response rooted in panic."
The county has at least seven confirmed COVID-19 cases, six of which were reported this week, briging the total in California to 35, which is more than any other state, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security said a medical screener at Los Angeles International Airport has tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The agency said it is unclear if the screener contracted the disease while on the job or from community transmission, adding no travelers screened at LAX have tested positive for COVID-19.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
