More States Order Residents to Stay Home as Crisis Worsens

“This is a public health crisis,” Hogan said during a news conference. “We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay at home. We are directing them to do so.”

Maryland has nearly 1,500 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 15 deaths.

“No Maryland resident should be leaving their home unless it is for an essential job or for an essential reason, such as obtaining food or medicine, seeking urgent medical attention or for other necessary purposes,” Hogan said.

During the conference, the Republican governor confirmed cases in the state have increased 397% over the past week.

Hogan said the order was necessary to combat the spread of the virus in Maryland and the neighboring states.

“You should be able to get outside for your own physical and mental well-being and go for a walk and take your dog for a walk,” Hogan said.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser followed Maryland and Virginia’s lead Monday and issued a stay-at-home order that will go into effect Wednesday.

“Our message remains the same: stay home,” Bowser, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Staying at home is the best way to flatten the curve and protect yourself, your family, and our entire community from COVID-19. Many people want to know how they can help right now, and for most people this is how – by staying home.”

D.C. has seen just over 400 cases of coronavirus and five deaths.

Taking a different path – despite more than 5,500 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and more than 70 deaths – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management chose to focus on Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties and ordered them to shut down public access to "facilities deemed non-essential." The order will be in effect until April 16.

"We've had a unified approach in Southeast Florida. We understand this is a unique community in our state. We understand that you have a lot of international travel coming through Miami, a lot of interaction with New York City [between] Broward, Dade and Palm Beach. We view this as a serious challenge," DeSantis said Monday at the Hard Rock stadium in Miami, where the parking lot has been converted to a drive-through coronavirus testing center.

DeSantis’ order, which codifies the “safer at home” policy of Miami-Dade and other counties, can be extended as needed, the governor’s office said.

Drive-through testing centers operated by the National Guard have been rolled out in South Florida over the last two weeks, with the goal of testing several hundred people a day at each location.

Citing an exodus of people coming to Florida from New York, DeSantis suspended vacation rentals last week and ordered visitors from New York and other hard-hit states to isolate themselves for 14 days upon arrival.​

Florida's restaurants, bars, gyms and other gathering places have been closed following a March 20 executive order.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Monday that a county-wide curfew is not in the works. He said that the "streets are quiet," and that enforcement of a widespread curfew could burden police.​ Municipalities in South Florida, such as Delray Beach, Miami and Coral Gables, have put in place local curfews, however. Miami, for instance, is generally prohibiting people from leaving their homes for non-essential reasons after 10 p.m.

Some cities such as Fort Lauderdale in Broward County have imposed stay-at-home orders with potential criminal penalties and fines for violations. Through April 16, Fort Lauderdale's order provides for up to 60 days in jail and a $500 penalty for people who leave their homes for unauthorized purposes. Traveling to work, buying food, visiting a doctor or dropping a child off for child care are listed as exceptions to the order.​

Follow @jamierossCNS

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