(CNN) Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency as the nation's capital looks to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The move -- which will help free up resources and funding -- came alongside news of six new cases in Washington, bringing the total number to 10.

"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 told reporters.

The announcement came just hours after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic with more than 1,200 cases in the US and growing clusters of the disease forcing many Americans to change their daily lives.

In Washington, this includes the suspension of visitor tours in the US Capitol, according to a Capitol official. Additionally, a city health advisory published earlier Wednesday recommended that "non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions, be postponed or canceled" through the end of the month.

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