Pennsylvania currently has no confirmed cases of a new coronavirus first recorded in China, but the state is taking steps to be prepared if it does.

The state’s top health official held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the steps being taken by the Department of Health to prepare for the possibility of the virus, officially known as “COVID-19,” spreading here.

Dr. Rachel Levine assured reporters that her department will be ready if the outbreak reaches the Keystone State.

“If we see community spread in Pennsylvania it will be a challenge, but the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Wolf administration are up to that task,” Levine said.

There have been more than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 reported worldwide, and approximately 2,700 reported deaths.

However there are just 57 cases in the United States, 40 of which were passengers on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. So far, none have been fatal.

Levine said that the state has been taking a proactive approach, monitoring people who are known to have traveled to areas where the disease is prevalent, but she would not provide any specifics about the number or location.

Symptoms of the disease reportedly include fever, cough and shortness of breath — appearing anywhere between a few days up to two week after exposure.

Levine said that when a traveler returns to Pennsylvania from China, they are classified based on their potential risk. Some received direct evaluation while others are monitored by phone.

Levine said the reason for not disclosing the number and location of people being monitored has to do with the state’s Disease Control Act. She does not want the public to potentially identify and stigmatize people who are being monitored for potential symptoms.

“We will be informing the public if there is a case, but there are no cases in Pennsylvania,” she said.

The Department of Health’s lab is prepared to test samples for possible cases of the COVID-19, but Levine said that the CDC currently has the ability to test all of the samples generated in Pennsylvania.

Levine said the Department of Health has activated its incident command center, meaning there are staff at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency 12 hours per day.

The Department of Health has also practiced its response during simulations both internally and with the CDC.

Health officials have been in contact with health systems and the 10 municipal health departments around the state.

Levine said it appears that COVID-19 is somewhat more contagious and deadly than a typical influenza virus which would be seen during the winter months, but it is nowhere near as contagious as diseases such as measles. The people at most risk of contracting or dying from the disease are seniors and people with existing medical conditions.

Levine said the state currently has funding and other resources, like personal protective equipment for health workers, but it would likely need more if the disease did spread here.

The Trump administration has reportedly asked Congress for $2.5 billion to combat the disease. Levine said that is a good start, but depending on how much the disease spreads, more may be necessary.

“Eventually we would need to have our finances supported by the federal government if there is community spread in Pennsylvania,” she said.

When asked about a quote from the World Health Organization that the world is not ready to respond to COVID-19, Levine said that statement likely referred to countries who have less public health infrastructure in place than the United States.

“I am very confident that the Pennsylvania Department of Health, with our health networks, municipal partners, and our courageous EMS providers, along with the collaboration of the CDC, are up to this task,” she said.

The Department of Health is urging people to wash their hands, cover coughs and sneezes with their elbows, cleaning surfaces, and staying home if they are sick.

They will continue to post updates on the Department of Health website health.pa.gov, as well as the department’s Facebook page and Twitter account.