SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California's top public health official says the spread of coronavirus throughout the state might not be as high as state officials had anticipated.

Secretary of California Health and Human Services Agency Mark Ghaly said Friday the number of hospitalizations today might not look much different over the next few weeks.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said detailed planning is already underway on how best to reopen the state. But he stressed the importance for California residents to stay home and stay away from each other over the Easter weekend so as not to undo the state's progress.

California will help skilled nursing facilities wracked by the new virus by providing additional bed space for their patients on a Navy hospital ship and shipping masks and gloves for their workers.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday the state will also help track the virus in more than 1,000 facilities and isolate those who test positive.

Newsom warned that the state's skilled nursing facilities are especially vulnerable to the virus and that more than 1,200 residents and staff had tested positive.

Outbreaks have been reported in facilities from San Bernardino to the San Francisco Bay Area, and dozens of residents have died.