Coronavirus USA Update: Colorado Declares State Of Emergency, New York Creates 'Containment Zone'

Colorado, with 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and Massachusetts, with 92 confirmed cases, on Tuesday declared separate states of emergency to get a better handle on the fast-paced spread of the highly-contagious coronavirus that causes the disease.

Meanwhile, in New York state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo declated a containment around the suburb of New Rochelle in Westchester County -- the state's COVID-19 epicenter -- until March 25 in a new effort to stop the spread of the disease. Schools and facilities within the confinement area have been closed.

Out of New York State’s 173 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 108 are found in New Rochelle. The state's outbreak began in New Rochelle. The National Guard has been deployed to New Rochelle to enforce the confinement and assist residents. The containment area has a radius of one mile.

Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 outbreak after the state confirmed its 15th case Tuesday. Polis' declaration seems to have been triggered by the confirmation of three new cases on Tuesday, which quickly brought the state's total 15 compared to 12 cases on Monday.

What was more disconcerting for Polis is four new cases were confirmed only on Monday. This means seven of the state's 15 total cases were confirmed only on Monday and Tuesday, a jump that indicates a far-reaching COVID-19 spread.

What makes Colorado's COVID-19 situation unique, and medically discomfiting, is its COVID-19 cases are neither cluster nor community outbreaks. Instead, Colorado's confirmed cases are spread all over the state.

There are confirmed infections in the greater Denver area and the northern and western parts of the state. Cases have also been confirmed in the state's mountain area tourist spots, which make it all the more damaging to the economy as it's still the tourist season.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said it's closely monitoring 13 Australians visiting Aspen. It fears these tourists might already have been exposed to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. CDPHE said it's tested 184 people for COVID-19. Colorado currently has 900 coronavirus testing kits. CDPHE said it's expecting 700 more from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Colorado's state of emergency will involve employees in food handling, hospitality, childcare, healthcare, and education firms being tested for COVID-19. Polis ordered CDPHE "to engage in emergency rulemaking" to make sure these employees get sick leave even while awaiting their test results for COVID-19.

He also directed CDPHE to find other methods of payment for employees that test positive but don't have access to sick leave and unemployment insurance. Polis affirmed Colorado state employees will be entitled to sick leave or be free to work from home if they're able to.

For New York, Cuomo explained the National Guard will help deliver food to homes and clean public spaces in the containment area. He said the containment is a "dramatic action" that's also a “matter of life and death.”

“We’ll go in, we’ll clean the schools and assess the situation," said Cuomo. “This will be a period of disruption for the community.”

He said the state is also setting up a satellite testing facility (in association with Northwell Health) in New Rochelle. Cuomo said New Rochelle is “a particular problem,” since “the numbers have been going up, the numbers continue to go up, the numbers are going up unabated.”

He said the confinement applies to “large congregate facilities for gatherings,” including schools and temples, but not "everything."