NEW YORK, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of New York will set aside about 40 million U.S. dollars for potential outbreak of COVID-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday.

Though no confirmed case of COVID-19 had so far been reported in the state, it is "highly probable that we will have people in New York State who test positive," Cuomo said at a briefing.

The emergency funding "will help ensure our healthcare system is equipped with the necessary staff, supplies and equipment needed to respond to any emergency situation that may arise in the future," he added.

The announcement came a day after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned the public to prepare for an outbreak of the disease.

The governor also said he would ask permission from federal authorities to test patient samples in a laboratory in New York instead of sending them to the CDC in Atlanta.

Speaking at a separate briefing on Wednesday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said that it is clear now that the question facing the metropolis is not whether but when the COVID-19 outbreak will start.

He urged the CDC and federal government to help the city combat the disease, especially in testing and screening travelers.

The mayor also asked the federal government to help speed up the city's ordering of 300,000 more masks for healthcare workers, saying that New Yorkers for now don't need to wear masks.  ■