ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering all workers in nonessential businesses to stay home and banning gatherings statewide.
Cuomo says he'll sign an executive order Friday. He also says nonessential gatherings of individuals of any size or for any reason are canceled or postponed.
#BREAKING: I will sign an Executive Order mandating that 100% of workforce must stay home, excluding essential services.
This order excludes pharmacies, grocery stores, and others.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 20, 2020
According to the governor's website, businesses considered essential include:
- Shipping
- Media
- Warehouses
- Grocery and food production
- Pharmacies
- Healthcare providers
- Utilities
- Banks/Financial Institutions
- Other industries critical to the supply chain
The Democratic governor took the dramatic actions as confirmed cases in New York climbed to more than 7,000. Cuomo reported that the state's number of fatalities had increased to 35.
Johns Hopkins University, which has been tallying deaths globally, put the state's fatality count at 38.
The rules will take effect Sunday evening. Cuomo says people can still go out for solitary exercise to protect their physical and mental health.
New York state has 5,711 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 38 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
