(BATON ROUGE, La.) — “In our great state, this is a time for seriousness. There is no place for panic or hysteria,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards in a press release at the state capital. The newly re-elected governor announced on his official twitter page that the Louisiana Health Department is currently testing a Jefferson Parish man for the COVID-19 virus.

The Louisiana Department of Health has reported Louisiana’s first presumptive positive case of COVID-19, commonly referred to as coronavirus, a Jefferson Parish resident who is hospitalized in Orleans Parish. #lagov #lalege

📰: https://t.co/E2N29pLb1U pic.twitter.com/8YTINR9Kgm

— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 9, 2020

After being tested, the patient’s results will be sent by Louisiana Health officials to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation that the patient does indeed have the novel coronavirus. Only hours before the news release by Edwards, the Louisiana Health Department had announced that it had 11 cases test negative for COVID-19.

Although this is the first possible case to be discovered in Louisiana, the governor took credit for planning for the virus infecting Louisiana weeks before today. “In response, I launched the task force that is leading the planning effort for different scenarios involving COVID-19, and our state agencies have been coordinating with the federal government and with each other to ensure that we’re preparing for and responding to this public health threat appropriately,” said Edwards.

The CDC still believes the risk to the general public is low, but we will work quickly and decisively to assess the risk to those around this patient. #lagov #lalege

— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 9, 2020

Without an available vaccine, antibiotic, or other drug to treat or impede the novel Coronavirus, the CDC has maintained that the only means of fighting the virus is taking simple preventative measures such as washing your hands thoroughly, coughing and sneezing into your arm, keeping three feet of distance from anyone coughing or sneezing, and seeking early medical attention under certain circumstances (fever, cough, and difficulty breathing). Masks, the most popular preventative measure, are only necessary when treating someone infected with the virus or if you yourself are coughing or sneezing. It should be noted that items manufactured in China are not considered by the CDC to be possible sources of the spread of the disease. “Even though the new coronavirus can stay on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days (depending on the type of surface), it is very unlikely that the virus will persist on a surface after being moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperatures,” the CDC said.

The CDC says that the spread of coronavirus is inevitable. (Photo Credit: WHO)