The FBI has purchased $40,000 worth of hand sanitizer and face masks “in case the coronavirus becomes a pandemic in the United States," according to an acquisition document signed Friday.
The order reportedly includes face masks from manufacturing company 3M, as well as disinfectants from PDI Healthcare.
Both virus-prevention products were directed to "be stored throughout the country for distribution in the event of a declared pandemic," the document said, according to CNBC.
People wearing face masks walk on a down own street in Hong Kong Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. COVID-19 viral illness has sickened tens of thousands of people in China since December. (Associated Press)
A pandemic is described as an epidemic that spreads across a large region, across continents and even the entire globe. More than 1,000 cases and 11 deaths from the virus have been recorded outside mainland China, while more than 75,000 cases and 2,200 deaths were recorded in the country as of Friday.
"We still don't have the Centers for Disease Control [CDC] in there [China] to help out. Neighboring countries are starting to get more and more concerned about this," said Dr. Marc Siegel last week. "Physicians having to diagnose this without all the material they need and the ability to isolate patients is very worrisome ... and eventually, it's going to spill over to the rest of the world potentially causing a pandemic."
The document added the "supplies are for the FBI strategic stockpile for Pandemic Preparedness," the news channel said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global emergency as it spreads to countries outside of China and the number of infected patients continues to grow.
It has yet to be classified as a global pandemic by the organization.
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