LANSING (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday urged residents to follow simple steps to help limit the spread of a new type of virus that has not been confirmed in Michigan but could be eventually.

People should wash their hands, not touch their face, replace handshakes with elbow or fist bumps and cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing, she said.

“The main goal of these efforts is to help slow the spread of the virus,” Whitmer said. “I urge all Michiganders to take these recommendations very seriously and share this information with their friends, family and co-workers.”

Whitmer briefed the media after activating the state’s emergency operations center near Lansing to coordinate the response to the virus that has infected more than 83,000 globally, killing about 2,800. The illness caused by the coronavirus is called COVID-19.

Sixty cases have been confirmed in the U.S., all but one people who traveled abroad or had close contact with others who traveled. Many were passengers on a cruise ship.

State officials said more than 350 people in Michigan who traveled from China have been or are being monitored for symptoms by local health departments. They self-quarantine at home for 14 days and limit their travel. None have shown symptoms to date.

Five people who were tested for the disease tested negative, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan’s chief medical executive.

Starting next week, she said, the state Department of Health and Human Services will launch a hand-washing campaign on the radio and social media specific to the virus, the flu and Hepatitis A. It also will continue reaching out to universities, colleges, schools, businesses and health providers about preparations to slow the spread of the disease.

Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, adjutant general of the Michigan Army and Air National Guard and Director of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said it was asked by the Department of Defense to establish a potential site for housing people who are repatriated from countries of concern. The state has set aside a 20-bed facility at Fort Custer near Battle Creek.

“To date, we have no anticipation of a need for that,” Rogers said.

Whitmer, a Democrat, was asked if she was confident in the Trump administration’s handling of the virus.

“I am confident in the experts we have here on the ground,” she said. “Instead of waiting to see what’s going on in the federal government, we’re going to be in touch with them but we’re going to make the decisions based on the things that we see here.”

Several universities, including the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, have suspended travel to China, including study-abroad programs.