LANSING — State and local agencies are spreading the word about resources that have been made available as part of the response to the novel coronavirus, which two people in the Detroit area have tested positive for, The Associated Press reported late Tuesday.

The State Emergency Operations Center activated the Michigan Joint Information Center Tuesday to coordinate state agency communications efforts in response to the potential spread of coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, according to a news release from the State Emergency Operations Center.

“During emergencies, whether it be a natural disaster or a public health issue, the Joint Information Center is used to track important information and provide it to the public,” Capt. Emmitt McGowan, deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and commander of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, said in a press release. “Timely and accurate communication is key to ensuring the safety of Michigan’s residents.”

The Michigan Joint Information Center is activated at a virtual level to allow responding public information officers throughout the state to post and access the latest verified information from an online location, officials said in the news release.

Locally, the Lake Superior Community Partnership has announced that it has developed a webpage in conjunction with the International Economic Development Council “devoted to resources for employees and employers including trusted resources, economic impact information and articles of interest,” an LSCP press release states.

“Economic developers are uniquely positioned to provide support and facilitate communication through our connections with government, businesses and the community,” LSCP CEO Amy Clickner said in the press release. “By no way do we want to create a panic around the virus, but rather to arm our community and businesses with factual information to assist them in their preparation. The survey is an extension of this allowing us to collect data on how best to assist.”

The website, which can be accessed at marquette.org/coronavirus-resources-covid-19, includes a short survey for businesses and organizations to “weigh in on what concerns and challenges they are facing and any solutions or best practices that they have developed. This survey offers a better understanding for the LSCP so they can assist,” the press release states.

On Feb. 28, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated the SEOC to coordinate with state, local and federal agencies to address and help prevent the spread of COVID-19, state officials said in the news release.

The SEOC is overseen by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division and coordinates response and recovery efforts by state agencies and local government. The SEOC is staffed by members of state agencies for decision making and information coordination during disasters or emergencies in the state of Michigan.

On Feb. 3, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services activated the Community Health Emergency Coordination Center to support local and state response to the outbreak.

“MDHHS is working closely with healthcare providers, local public health departments, and the CDC to identify potential cases of COVID-19 in Michigan,” the news release states. “MDHHS has implemented emergency response standard operating procedures that address infectious disease outbreaks and new or emerging illnesses, such as COVID-19.”

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.