March 6th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has declared a state of emergency after three Montgomery County residents tested positive for coronavirus.

A Maryland lab in Baltimore confirmed the first three positive cases of coronavirus in the state.

The patients contracted the virus while overseas and they are in good condition, Gov. Larry Hogan said during a news conference at the Maryland State House on Thursday night.

The patients include a married couple in their 70s and a woman in her 50s, Hogan said.

Officials are aware of the patients’ travel histories but didn’t disclose them on Thursday evening, citing privacy concerns.

Vice President Mike Pence and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been notified about the cases in Maryland’s largest county, Hogan said.

“When they were notified that they had a possibility of exposure, they brought themselves to a hospital,” said Fran Phillips, deputy secretary for public health services in Maryland. “They were not severely ill. They were not hospitalized. They stayed at home and brought themselves to a hospital in order to be tested.”

The Maryland Department of Health advises anyone who has traveled to an area that has confirmed cases of coronavirus, or has come in contact with someone who has contracted the novel virus to take the following steps:

• Call your doctor or emergency room before you go
• Tell them about recent travel and close contacts (such as people in your household)
• Wear a mask, if one is available