Twenty-two people have died from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the United States as of March 9. A total of 565 cases have been reported across 34 states in the US.

Washington state has reported the highest coronavirus cases, with 116 confirmed cases and 18 fatalities. A total of 106 cases have been reported in New York state, while California has identified 102 confirmed cases.

The Grand Princess cruise ship, which has 21 confirmed positives aboard, is set to dock in Oakland, California on March 9. Nineteen crew members and two passengers were found to have contracted the coronavirus, while a California man who was on the ship last month died from the virus.

Management and quarantine plan

Reportedly, 1,000 California residents from the cruise ship will be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and Miramar Naval Air Station the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on March 8. Residents of other states will be quarantined at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia.

The Grand Princess cruise ship was scheduled to sail for two weeks from San Francisco to Hawaii and to dock on March 7. The ship’s disembarkment of 3,500 people has been delayed after it was found to be contaminated with the virus.

According to the secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Ben Carson, the Trump administration will have a plan in place to deal with the passengers of the cruise ship. Speaking to ABC News on March 8, Carson said, “The vice president met with the CEOs of the major cruise ship companies yesterday, and they are coming up with a plan within 72 hours of that meeting.”

Test kits made available

After the announcement made by President Donald Trump on March 7 stating that “anyone who wants a test can get a test,” US secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, clarified that those who wish to be tested for the coronavirus would need approval from a medical professional.

About 400,000 test kits were set to be dispatched to medical facilities nationwide by the end of last week.

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