According to U.S. health officials, two people who tested positive for the new Daily News Updates coronavirus died in Florida on Saturday, marking the first deaths on the East Coast attributed to the outbreak. A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis reported via Twitter than the individuals were in their 70s and had traveled overseas and DeSantis issued an order directing a Level II public health emergency in the sunshine state.
The announcement raises the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus strain to 16, including 13 in the state of Washington and one in California. There are at least 253 confirmed cases across the country.
DeSantis also asked state lawmakers for $25 million on Friday -- in addition to the expected $27 million in federal aid along with $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) -- so health officials can use it to combat the coronavirus with lab equipment and staffing.
An airline passenger wears a mask in the terminal area of Orlando International Airport on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Many travelers are wearing masks because of the coronavirus outbreak.
An airline passenger wears a mask in the terminal area of Orlando International Airport on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Many travelers are wearing masks because of the coronavirus outbreak. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)