Massachusetts Declares State of Emergency as Coronavirus Cases Spike

An ambulance drives by Brigham and Women's Hospital, which was setting up a a coronavirus testing site, in Boston, Massachusetts on March 7, 2020. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency over the new coronavirus after officials announced 51 new cases in the state.

“This declaration will give our administration more flexibility to respond to this evolving outbreak,” Baker said at a press conference on Tuesday.