D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared a state of emergency and public health emergency in the District in response to coronavirus.

“While this is an administrative action, largely, it will give me more authority to implement and fund the measures that we need to monitor and respond to COVID-19 in our community,” Bowser said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

At the same time, health officials announced six new cases of coronavirus in D.C., bringing the total to 10 cases. It appears that the virus is now being spread locally.

“Those additional cases indicate to us, because of the nature of the new individuals who have been identified, that we have person-to-person transmission occurring in the District of Columbia,” said LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of DC Health.

Declaring a state of emergency activates a broad range of powers that enable the mayor to mobilize people and resources more quickly to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. That includes things like mandatory quarantines or curfews, freeing up funds more quickly and preventing price gouging on essentials needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The mayor has so far diverted a total of $1.5 million in reserve funds toward the District’s coronavirus response, including purchasing personal protective equipment such as N95 respirators and other supplies for first responders.

Earlier in the day, D.C. health officials called for the postponement or cancellation of all “non-essential” gatherings of 1,000 people or more. The city also called off events at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and other venues operated by Events DC, through March 31.

[For a full list of cancelled events, see here.]

“Our duty now as citizens is to try to contain the spread of germs and this virus in our communities, while maintaining our essential services,” Bowser said during the press conference.

Neighboring states Maryland and Virginia have nine confirmed cases, each. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency on March 5 in response to the state’s first confirmed cases. In Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has not yet declared an emergency, but said Wednesday morning he was “prepared to do so if needed.”

The last time Bowser declared a state of emergency in the District was in September 2018 ahead of Hurricane Florence.

For the latest coronavirus updates, see here.