NYC mayor 'strongly considering' shelter-in-place order
As of Tuesday morning, New York has the highest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he is “absolutely considering” issuing a shelter-in-place order much like the one recently announced in San Francisco to combat the new coronavirus threat.
The Big Apple mayor told CNN Tuesday morning New York City officials are “going to look at all other options, but it could get to that for sure for the whole country."
A spokesperson for the mayor's office did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo later denounced de Blasio's claims, saying he has “no interest whatsoever and no plan whatsoever to quarantine any city.”
“That cannot happen,” he said. “It cannot happen legally. No city in the state can quarantine itself without state approval.”
Pedestrian traffic is light along Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, Monday, March 16, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
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As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, New York has the highest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the nation with 967. According to Monday's numbers, 436 of those infected were reportedly New York City residents.
Johns Hopkins University & Medicine's Coronavirus Resource Center reported Tuesday morning that there were 4,661 confirmed cases in the United States.
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The Big Apple had already ordered bars and restaurants to close to foot traffic, and instead only offer delivery options. On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all casinos, movie theaters and gyms to close, and said he is “strongly encouraging” other nonessential businesses to close as well.
A woman walks through a lightly trafficked Times Square in New York, Monday, March 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
On Monday, officials from a half dozen San Francisco Bay Area counties issued a “shelter in place” edict that requires most residents to stay inside and venture out only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks.
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The order – the most drastic measure taken yet in the nation – affects nearly 7 million area residents and is expected to run until at least April 7.
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California had at least 557 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.