Georgia governor creates coronavirus task force

ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp anunced Friday that he’s set up a task force to assess state’s preparations for dressing any potential coronavirus cases.

Kemp did t name members of task force in a news release, but said it’s comprised of a “coalition of subject matter experts from private and public sectors.”

y will work on preventative measures, resource deployment and collaboration with or government ncies, Republican goverr said.

goverr’s office said Kemp was on a phone call with Vice President Mike Pence earlier in day about Trump ministration’s efforts to combat virus.

re are confirmed cases of coronavirus in state, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said in a statement included in new release.

“We have way of kwing when or if we will have COVID-19 cases,” she said at news conference with Kemp. ”What we do kw is that we have a robust plan in place, a plan initially developed for this of outbreak, pandemic influenza.”

She said state has sent less than 10 samples to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to test for virus, but all have been negative.

She said it’s taking CDC four to five days to return test results, but state should have its own testing capability within next two weeks.