State of Emergency Declared in Washington Over Coronavirus

A tour operator, wearing a protective mask, gestures as he leads a tour near the US Capitol in Washington on March 9, 2020. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. capital is declaring a state of emergency to combat the spread of the new coronavirus.

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the declaration will give her “more authority to implement and fund the measures that we need to monitor and respond to COVID-19 in our community.”