Nevada County on Wednesday declared a local health emergency and local emergency in response to the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The declarations allow the county access to additional resources such as mutual aid, financial reimbursement and increased coordination with state and local partners. The local and health emergencies will be considered for ratification by the Board of Supervisors at its regular meeting next week, a press release states.

Coronavirus Home and Residence Disinfection Guidance NCDEH by The Union on Scribd

The decision is in response to Placer County Public Health saying Wednesday morning that a resident died from COVID-19. The individual, an elderly adult with underlying health conditions, was part of the second confirmed case of COVID-19 in that county. They were the first to die from the illness in California.

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Also on Wednesday the city of Rocklin said that three of its fire department employees were in quarantine after coming into contact with the elderly adult who’s since died. The employees currently have no symptoms.

According to the Placer County website, the department is encouraging residents to plan for potential disruptions to daily life.

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Placer County health officer Dr. Aimee Sisson, along with federal and state health officials, held a Wednesday press conference in the Community Development Resource Center in Auburn.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of this patient,” said Sisson. “While we have expected more cases, this death is an unfortunate milestone in our efforts to fight this disease, and one that we never wanted to see. While most cases of COVID-19 exhibit mild or moderate symptoms, this tragic death underscores the urgent need for us to take extra steps to protect residents who are particularly vulnerable to developing more serious illness, including elderly persons and those with underlying health conditions.”

The deceased patient tested presumptively positive on Tuesday at a California lab and was likely exposed during international travel from Feb. 11 to 21 on a Princess cruise ship that departed from San Francisco to Mexico. The patient was in isolation at Kaiser Permanente in Roseville, a release states.

Placer County Public Health recommends vulnerable people — including the elderly and those with health conditions like diabetes, cancer, asthma, COPD and others — stay at home as much as possible; avoid coming into contact with sick individuals; wash their hands regularly, especially before eating and touching their faces; and, if they do leave the house, minimize contact with other people and surfaces.