Travel restrictions, activities for kids, rising caseloads: News from around our 50 states

Alabama

Montgomery: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state Monday rose to 830, while a hospital reported additional deaths. The state Department of Public Health’s official death count stands at six, but those numbers did not include most of the six deaths over the weekend reported by the East Alabama Medical Center, a hospital in Opelika. The hospital said four of the patients were from Chambers County and two from Lee County. The hospital said Sunday that only one of the deaths was on the state count, “as there’s an official process that ADPH must complete prior to adding to the COVID-19 state death count.” Lee County Coroner Bill Harris, who first announced the East Alabama deaths, said he did not have ages for all the victims, but one was 51, and another was in their 80s. Johns Hopkins University listed Alabama’s death count as 10 on Monday.

Alaska

Juneau: Republican U.S. Rep. Don Young now says the coronavirus is an “urgent public health emergency,” the degree of which he did not grasp weeks ago. Young, in a speech earlier this month to older Alaskans and members of the Palmer and Wasilla chambers of commerce, characterized virus concerns as overblown. The virus “attacks us senior citizens. I’m one of you. I still say we have to as a nation and state go forth with everyday activities,” he said, as reported by the Anchorage Daily News. Young is 86. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says adults 65 and older are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. In a video released by his office Thursday, Young did not specifically reference the speech. But he said the virus’s impacts are real. “Weeks ago, I did not fully grasp the severity of this crisis, but clearly, we are in the midst of an urgent public health emergency,” he said. He urged Alaskans to follow CDC recommendations and any state or local government directives.

Arizona

Phoenix: Schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year after Gov. Doug Ducey and schools chief Kathy Hoffman on Monday extended closures that had been scheduled to expire April 13. Ducey and Hoffman said the decision is a response to new federal guidance to maintain social distancing practices through at least the end of April. Health authorities recommend people avoid congregating in large groups and maintain at least 6 feet for separation from others to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. “Today’s announcement is intended to give parents and educators as much certainty as possible so they can plan and make decisions,” Ducey and Hoffman said in a statement released by the governor’s office. The order applies to public and charter schools. Private schools must be remain closed through April 30, and administrators can decide what to do after that.

Arkansas

Little Rock: The state will temporarily waive penalties for late registration on vehicles and tag renewal, the state Department of Finance and Administration announced Monday. The agency said it will waive penalties for late registration and renewal through April 16. The announcement comes as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the state. On Monday, the state reported 449 cases of the illness linked to the coronavirus, up from 426 a day earlier. Six people have died in Arkansas so far.

California

Los Angeles: Californians endured a weekend of stepped-up restrictions aimed at keeping them home as much as possible as health officials got ready for a week likely to see a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases. The mayor of the nation’s second-largest city warned that families should prepare for isolating themselves at home in ways so they will not infect others in their households. Anticipating a surge in COVID-19 cases this week that may overwhelm health care systems, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti urged people who test positive not to rush to hospitals unless they have serious symptoms. Instead, he asked the city’s 4 million residents to think about how to separate themselves from family members while quarantining at home. He acknowledged physical distancing may be hard for those in tight quarters and said local officials were working to set up quarantine spaces for them. Meanwhile, National Guard troops set up beds in the sprawling Los Angeles Convention Center, converting it into a field hospital.

Colorado

Denver: The state Department of Health has released the names and locations of nine of the 10 nursing homes and long-term care facilities that are facing outbreaks of COVID-19 in response to a public records request filed by The Denver Post. The facilities include two each in Weld and Larimer counties and one each in El Paso, Chaffee, Arapahoe, Adams and Jefferson counties. The name and location of the 10th facility has not been released. State health officials announced outbreaks at five facilities March 22 but declined to identify them or say how many residents and staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. The state is still not saying how may positive tests are tied to the care centers. Through Sunday, Colorado had reported 2,307 positive tests or likely cases of COVID-19, with 327 people hospitalized and 47 deaths.

Connecticut

Bridgeport: An arena will be set up to house patients as hospitals in the region brace for an increase in the number of people with the coronavirus, the mayor said. Medical equipment will arrive by Tuesday at the Webster Bank Arena, Mayor Joe Ganim said. The arena will hold 128 beds to accommodate the overflow from hospitals and will take in ambulatory or mildly symptomatic patients, he said. Connecticut has reported nearly 2,000 people with the virus. Fairfield County has been home to more than 1,200 of them and to 21 of the 34 deaths reported statewide so far. “In the last week, two of our residents succumbed to the virus, and the number of positive coronavirus cases in Bridgeport tripled,” Ganim said. “We need to take as many proactive measures as we can to support government and health care officials by ensuring that emergency plans are in place to stay ahead of further devastating effects and support the health care system.”

Delaware

Wilmington: The governor issued an order Sunday telling out-of-state visitors to self-quarantine for two weeks. The order by Gov. John Carney, which took effect Monday morning, requires anyone entering the state from elsewhere to self-quarantine for 14 days. It does not apply to people who are only passing through the state. “Now’s not the time to visit Delaware. We’re facing a serious situation here that is getting worse,” Carney said in a statement. Those who disobey the order, which has some exceptions for health care workers and other essential tasks, could face criminal charges. Statewide, health officials said there were more than 200 coronavirus cases and 31 hospitalizations as of Sunday morning.

District of Columbia

Washington: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has granted a major disaster declaration request for D.C., which has recorded nine deaths and 401 confirmed cases of coronavirus, WUSA-TV reports. “Our message remains the same: Stay home,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said. The only reasons residents can leave their homes are to go to grocery stores, pick up medicine, exercise with their own family, seek medical attention if advised or perform an essential job. A testing site was opened Monday for personnel and first responders from the Department of Corrections, Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire & EMS. A drive-thru and walk-up testing site are to open by the end of the week at United Medical Center for residents whose doctors ordered a test. Residents who need medical treatment and are advised by their doctors to get tested should do so regardless of their immigration status, Bowser said.

Florida

Miami Gardens: Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t want the people on a cruise ship where four people died and others are sick to be treated in the state, saying it doesn’t have the capacity to treat outsiders as the coronavirus outbreak spreads. DeSantis also told a press conference he expects South Florida’s four counties – Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe – will be on near-lockdown until mid-May. DeSantis said it would be “a mistake” to bring the passengers from Holland America’s Zandaam onshore for treatment because South Florida already has a high number of new coronavirus infections, and that rate is growing. He said the area’s hospital beds need to be saved for residents and not “foreign nationals.” “We would like to have medical personnel dispatched to the ship,” DeSantis said as he visited a test site at the Miami Dolphins stadium in Miami Gardens. He wants the cruise line to arrange that.

Georgia

Atlanta: The number of coronavirus cases in the state continues to rise quickly and steadily. Georgia reported nearly 2,700 cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday evening, with a quarter of them requiring patients to go to the hospital and 83 deaths, according to the state Department of Public Health. President Donald Trump declared a federal disaster in the state Sunday, clearing the way for federal aid. Fulton County continues to lead the state with more than 420 cases. But hard-hit Dougherty County in southwestern Georgia still leads in deaths, with 17, and has reported nearly 250 cases despite a population 11 times smaller than Fulton County. Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, which is treating the majority of cases in the area, said it would require everyone who enters to wear a mask starting Monday. Medically trained troops from the Georgia National Guard have been brought in to help the hospital, whose intensive care unit is full as emergency patients continue to stream in.

Hawaii

Honolulu: Like many cities across the world, Honolulu came to an eerie standstill over the weekend as officials implemented measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the islands. Hawaii officials went beyond the standard stay-at-home orders and effectively flipped the switch on the state’s tourism-fueled economic engine in a bid to slow infections. As of Thursday, anyone arriving in Hawaii must undergo a mandatory 14-day self quarantine. The unprecedented move dramatically reduced the number of people on beaches, in city parks and on country roads. It’s too soon to know the total impact the shutdown will have on the tens of thousands of Hawaii residents who rely on tourism dollars to pay for the high cost of living in the state. The mandatory self-quarantine rules apply to both residents and visitors. But the prospect of being forced to stay in a hotel room or other accommodations for 14 days while on vacation effectively ended the daily influx of tourists. Airlines dramatically reduced their service to the islands. Nearly 100 hotels across the archipelago closed, with more expected to follow this week.

Idaho

Boise: A scenic Idaho county known as a ski-vacation haven for celebrities and the wealthy has a new, more dubious distinction: It has one of the highest per-capita rates of confirmed coronavirus infections in America. Numbers from Johns Hopkins University on Friday showed that with more than 80 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, Blaine County has the highest rate of cases outside New York City and its surrounding counties. The numbers themselves are far smaller in the Idaho region than in New York City but still dire for residents. At least 14 of the cases in the rural county of roughly 22,000 people involved health care workers, and at least two people have died from COVID-19. The county includes tony Sun Valley Resort and draws skiers and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world.

Illinois

Chicago: Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Sunday that the state will soon more than double the number of daily COVID-19 tests it can administer as the number of cases surged. Public health officials reported 1,105 new cases Sunday, including 18 deaths. Overall, Illinois has more than 4,500 cases with 65 deaths. Pritzker said Illinois will increase its daily testing capacity from about 4,000 to 10,000 within 10 days. He said more workers are being added at labs, along with new technology. He said he spoke with Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories, which has made a portable rapid test, to ask that the state gets first dibs. The medical device maker says its cartridge-based test, approved Friday, delivers results within minutes. The first-term Democrat, who is critical of the federal government’s response to the pandemic, said he had no choice. Cases are expected to peak next month. “I’m not going to wait on promises from the federal government that will not be fulfilled,” he said.

Indiana

Indianapolis: Three more people have died from coronavirus-related illnesses, increasing the state’s virus death toll to 35, health officials said Monday. Indiana’s number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, grew by 273 to 1,786, the Indiana State Department of Health said. The state now has nearly seven times the number of confirmed cases as a week ago, while the number of deaths is five times greater. Two of the new deaths involved Indianapolis residents, while the other person who died was from southeastern Indiana’s Franklin County. Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner, said Friday that Indiana’s peak of coronavirus illnesses is expected in mid- to late April. A statewide stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb took effect Wednesday, with exemptions for essential businesses to remain open and for necessary trips for food and medicine.

Iowa

Des Moines: The coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives of two more residents, raising the state’s death toll to six, health officials said Monday. The Iowa Public Health Department said in a news release that it’s been notified of 88 more positive COVID-19 tests, taking the state total to 424. Nearly 6,200 people have tested negative for the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The two dead people were described as age 81 or older. One lived in Linn County and the other in Washington County, the department said. The state reported 38 new cases Sunday and the fourth death of an Iowa resident. Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered bars, dine-in restaurants, theaters, casinos, and businesses that sell furniture, books and clothing to remain closed until at least April 7 to help limit the virus’s spread. Schools have been closed statewide.

Kansas

Tonganoxie: A school district is suspending its grab-and-go sack lunch program for a week after a worker with the district’s drive-thru program tested positive for the coronavirus. The Tonganoxie school district said in a statement that it is placing staff members who came in contact with the fellow worker in a 14-day quarantine. The eastern Kansas district said it also is following all infection control protocols, including thoroughly sanitizing the meal preparation area before and after meal preparations. District officials say that the person did not come in direct contact with students or families and was only involved with meal preparations. Following the closure of Kansas schools for the year, districts across the state have continued to provide meals to students through meal pickup programs similar to Tonganoxie’s.

Kentucky

Lexington: The town launched a neighborhood “safari” for children during the coronavirus pandemic by displaying stuffed animals in the windows of their homes. The “Cumberland Hill Zoo Walk” was kicked off Sunday morning in Lexington after 60 houses in the community signed up, WKYT-TV reports. “I have challenged kids to have a zoologist notebook and then go around and record the animal sightings,” said Marian Guinn, the organizer of the zoo walk. Throughout the week, families in the Cumberland Hill neighborhood will look for animals and submit their findings for a chance to win different prizes. Events like these have been a way for the community to step up and try to help each other through unusual times while also following official guidelines, Guinn said. The community will “make these days be the best they can be,” she said.

Louisiana

Baton Rouge: The number of residents dead from the COVID-19 disease jumped significantly higher Monday in one of the state’s largest spikes in the death toll since recording its first coronavirus case in early March. Louisiana’s health department reported that 185 residents have died from the disease caused by the virus, an increase of 34 in the death toll from a day earlier. Gov. John Bel Edwards has said Louisiana has the second-highest COVID-19 death rate per capita among states, and he’s warned the New Orleans region is running low on ventilators that the hardest-hit patients need. Two-thirds of the people who have died lived in New Orleans and neighboring Jefferson Parish, according to the figures. More than 4,000 people statewide are confirmed to have the virus, according to the health department data. The state is creating a new 1,100-bed hospital at the convention center in New Orleans, for recovering patients who no longer need ventilators or intensive care. Edwards said the facility will open by April 5.

Maine

Portland: About one-sixth of the state’s 275 positive cases of the coronavirus have been health care workers, the head of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. Maine CDC director Nirav Shah said the state is investigating the workers’ exposures at different health care facilities around the state. Maine’s health care workers, as well as health care facility workers such as custodians and environmental care workers, are keeping the state’s health system functioning at great personal risk, Shah said. “As thousands of people are staying home, health care workers are doing the exact opposite. They are racing to care for those who are ill and who are in need,” he said. Three Maine residents have died from the virus. The state hasn’t identified them beyond stating their ages and county of residence.

Maryland

Annapolis: Gov. Larry Hogan issued a “stay-at-home” directive in response to the coronavirus pandemic effective at 8 p.m. Monday. Hogan said the region around the nation’s capital has reached “a critical turning point in the fight” to slow the outbreak. “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 at a news conference on the Maryland State House lawn. The state has reported at least 1,413 confirmed cases of the virus. Hogan said confirmed cases have increased 397% in the past week in Maryland. Also, he said the number of deaths tripled from five to 15 over the weekend. The governor also said residents should reschedule all nonessential appointments. “We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home,” Hogan said. “We are directing them to do so.”

Massachusetts

Boston: The state’s bar exam has been postponed due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. The Supreme Judicial Court and the Board of Bar Examiners announced Monday that the exam will not be administered as planned July 28-29. The exam will instead be administered in the fall. The new dates for the exam have yet to be determined. The SJC and the Board of Bar Examiners said if limits on large gatherings continue into the fall, alternative means for administering the exam will be devised. The number of people in Massachusetts who have died from COVID-19 has risen to 56 since the start of the outbreak, an increase of eight since Sunday. Public health officials said the number of residents who have so far tested positive for the disease stands at more than 5,700. Nearly 42,800 have been tested, and more than 450 have been hospitalized.

Michigan

Lansing: The state desperately needs thousands of ventilators to treat victims of the coronavirus and more health care workers willing to pitch in during the crisis, state officials said Monday. TCF Center in downtown Detroit soon will be turned into a 900-bed field hospital for COVID-19 patients who are not critically ill. “There’s a shortage of acute care physicians. But I’d say it’s certainly nurses. We are definitely having a shortage of nurses to take care of COVID-19 patients right now,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s medical executive. The number of coronavirus cases statewide reached nearly 5,500 over the weekend, while deaths rose to 132. The state has 1,700 ventilators – critical equipment to help people breathe – and needs 5,000 to 10,000 more, Khaldun said. “That’s going to be a pressure point,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said when asked about people to operate them. “That’s precisely why we’ve called out to people who have perhaps retired from the medical field to consider coming back. That’s why we’ve made it easier for people to join the front lines.”

Minnesota

Minneapolis: The state’s students began learning from home Monday, a new normal that may last the rest of the school year, as the state tries to slow the spread of COVID-19. Minnesota had 576 confirmed cases of the disease as of Monday, which was 73 more than Sunday. The state’s death toll from COVID-19 rose by one, to 10. At least 260 patients have recovered and no longer need to be isolated. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 56 patients were hospitalized as of Monday, including 24 in intensive care. Gov. Tim Walz gave the school closing order two weeks ago to allow administrators and teachers time to figure out how to make distance learning work for the state’s nearly 900,000 public and charter school students. “Our educators are ready for this,” Deputy Education Commissioner Heather Mueller said. “As educators and as professionals, we have been trained to not only be experts and professionals in our context but also how it is that we can deliver instruction through a variety of platforms.”

Mississippi

Vicksburg: The mayor ordered child care centers in his city to close Monday for at least a week to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, setting a stricter standard than the one set statewide by Gov. Tate Reeves. Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. also ordered that liquor stores and convenience stores allow no more than 10 people inside at a time, including employees, and that gas stations allow no more than 10 people at a time in their outdoor areas. His new orders took effect at noon Monday and are an expansion of some limits that Vicksburg set earlier in March. Reeves has not issued a statewide stay-at-home order, and he has said he was allowing day care centers to remain open because some people who work in health care or in other essential jobs need supervision for their children. The state Health Department on Monday updated Mississippi’s confirmed coronavirus caseload to at least 847 people and 16 deaths.

Missouri

Kansas City: The state’s attorney general on Monday announced he’d issued subpoena-like demands for information from third-party Amazon sellers in an attempt to fight price gouging amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s office is investigating eight Missouri-based Amazon sellers who allegedly have been charging two to 19 times the prices charged before the COVID-19 outbreak for hand sanitizer, masks and respirators. Schmitt issued civil investigative demands requiring the third-party sellers to provide his office with details on pricing. “Price gouging is something that we’re taking incredibly seriously, and we’re exploring all avenues in order to protect Missourians during these unprecedented times,” Schmitt said in a statement. The attorney general’s action came after the death of William “Al” Grimes, the Henry County Democratic Party chairman, pushed the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the state to 12 and the total confirmed cases past 900.

Montana

Helena: The state confirmed two more deaths due to the coronavirus Monday, bringing its total to four. The Toole County Health Department said two county residents have died. “Losing two more Montanans to COVID-19 is a blow to our statewide community,” Gov. Steve Bullock said in a statement. “Today’s news is a heartbreaking reminder to us all that we must continue to do everything we can to slow the spread of this disease. Montanans in every corner of our state are keeping the family and friends of these Montanans in our hearts.” Two earlier deaths were reported in Lincoln and Madison counties. Bullock said he’s aware of the positive tests among the senior community in Toole County and has been working to send additional resources to their health care system. Montana had 171 positive cases of COVID-19 as of Monday morning.

Nebraska

Gering: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported in far western Nebraska’s Scotts Bluff County, the state said. The patient is a man in his 30s who has been in isolation at his home since Tuesday, local health officials said. His case and 10 other newly reported cases brought the state total to 120, the Nebraska Health and Human Services Department said late Sunday. More than 2,200 people have tested negative. The department said earlier Sunday that it was working with the operators of an assisted living center in Blair to empty it because several workers and residents had tested positive for COVID-19. A ninth confirmed case in Washington County has been related to the outbreak at the facility, Carter Place. Residents who tested positive and those considered to have been exposed to the new virus have been moved out and are in isolation at other health care facilities, the department said.

Nevada

Reno: Several alcohol distilleries in the state unable to make liquor under current coronavirus shutdowns are turning their attention to another product to help soothe customers. They’re combining their key ingredient – ethanol, which kills germs – with aloe vera or other chemicals to make hand sanitizer. The Centers for Disease Control website reports that alcohol-based solutions of at least 70% alcohol are effective for disinfecting. Distilleries such as Seven Troughs, Ferino, Verdi Local Distillery, The Depot and Damon Industries are all ramping up production of sanitizer. Seven Troughs in Sparks is already turning out sanitizer, 175 gallons last week, most of which is going to Renown Hospital, as well as to first responders. Tom Adams, owner of Seven Troughs, said hand sanitizer is a critical supply, and the distillery is operating 24 hours a day to produce ethanol for Renown. Ethanol is combined with glycerol and hydrogen peroxide to make the sanitizer. Adams said the World Health Organization provides the guidelines to make it.

New Hampshire

Concord: College campuses are being turned into makeshift medical spaces as the state responds to the new coronavirus. Several more alternative care sites are being set up to serve as overflow and surge spaces for hospitals. The University of New Hampshire is working with Wentworth-Douglass, Frisbie Memorial and Portsmouth Regional hospitals to accommodate 250 people. The Durham campus also is offering resources for drive-thru testing, and its dining hall will provide takeout meals for anyone staying on campus. At the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, the community college system is working with Concord Hospital and others to accommodate up to 300 patients in its gymnasium, wellness center and student center. The first such site was established at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester.

New Jersey

Trenton: The state agency that operates the Atlantic City Expressway has scheduled a public meeting for Wednesday to consider toll increases despite the governor’s order for residents to stay home during the COVID-19 outbreak. The South Jersey Transportation Authority has two meetings planned for Wednesday and a third Thursday to consider capital projects financed by average toll increases of 57 cents at most. The authority is also considering automatic toll increases of at most 3% annually beginning in 2022. It’s unclear how the public is expected to attend the meetings amid the coronavirus outbreak and given Gov. Phil Murphy’s March 21 order that people stay home. Messages seeking comment and an explanation were left with the authority and Murphy’s office. The governor has the power to veto state boards’ and authorities’ actions.

New Mexico

Albuquerque: Officials say a Metropolitan Detention Center inmate in the city has tested positive for COVID-19. Bernalillo County said Monday in a statement that the jail learned of the positive test Sunday and that the inmate is in isolation and receiving treatment. Officials say the 39-year old male inmate was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday. Upon entry, the inmate was screened and did not have COVID-19 symptoms. Two days after arriving at the jail, officials were informed that the inmate’s mother was hospitalized and tested positive for novel coronavirus. The inmate had been caring for his mother before being booked. Officials say staff who came in contact with the inmate are also self-isolating at home for 14 days as a precaution.

New York

New York: A Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds arrived in the city Monday as the number of deaths in the state from the outbreak climbed quickly. Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio said President Donald Trump’s suggestion that thousands of medical masks are disappearing from New York City hospitals is “insulting” to front-line medical workers. The state’s number of reported coronavirus deaths shot up by 253 in a single day to just over 1,200, a number Gov. Andrew Cuomo called “staggering.” State officials expect the number of deaths to continue to rise as the outbreak reaches its projected peak in the coming weeks. The USNS Comfort, which was sent to New York City after 9/11, will be used to treat non-coronavirus patients while hospitals treat people with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

North Carolina

Raleigh: The state’s new stay-at-home order won’t show any conclusive effect on blunting the intensity of the new coronavirus for about two weeks, the state epidemiologist said Monday. New restrictions on business operations and prohibitions of gatherings of more than 10 people issued by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday were set to take effect at 5 p.m. Monday. Several urban counties and some cities already began enforcing similar orders late last week. The incubation time between an individual being exposed to COVID-19 and getting sick can be up to 14 days, with an average of five to seven days, said Dr. Zach Moore, the state epidemiologist. So the uptick in laboratory-confirmed cases or other illness surveillance in the next several days will likely reflect the period before movement rules were put in place, he said. The virus’s spread is still just beginning, and “every indication is that this is really ramping up now,” Moore said. “We’re still on our way up.”

North Dakota

Bismarck: A second person has died from complications of the coronavirus, state officials said Monday. The victim was a woman in her 80s from McHenry County in north-central North Dakota. She had underlying health conditions and acquired COVID-19 through community spread. Health officials also said Monday that 11 additional people have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the state to 109 cases. State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte on Sunday amended a confinement order for people coming into the state from out of the country or from states with widespread community cases. The original order issued Saturday said people must stay at home for 14 days after arriving in North Dakota. The amended order removes the quarantine requirement for those who already had returned but requires it for all current and future travel. Workers who are exempt from the order include those working in health care, law enforcement, agriculture and energy.

Ohio

Columbus: A prison employee tested positive for the coronavirus, the state reported Sunday night, marking the first such occurrence in Ohio at a time of growing national fears about the impact of the virus in crowded jails and prisons. The employee at Marion Correctional Institution in north-central Ohio last worked March 24, began showing symptoms March 25 and reported the positive test Sunday, the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said. The person is at home recovering. The employee is part of the prison’s “custody staff,” spokeswoman JoEllen Smith said Monday, a category that can include guards and supervisors such as lieutenants and captains. The prison is prohibiting inmate and employee transfers out of the facility and is restricting movement inside, the agency said. Systemwide, the prisons department is now allowing alcohol-based hand sanitizer and limiting prison access to employees and necessary contractors who undergo health screens, said agency Director Annette Chambers-Smith.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City: More than 50 new cases of coronavirus and one additional death due to COVID-19 were reported Monday by the Oklahoma State Department of Health. There are now 17 deaths due to the virus and at least 481 cases, the department said, up from 16 deaths and 429 cases on Sunday. The virus was confirmed in three additional counties, and 47 of the state’s 77 counties now have at least one confirmed case. The report comes after Gov. Kevin Stitt on Sunday joined other governors in requiring air travelers from New York and other virus hot spots to quarantine when traveling to the state. Travelers who fly from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Washington state and Louisiana must self-quarantine for 14 days if they head to Oklahoma, according to Stitt’s executive order.

Oregon

Bend: In the past couple of weeks, tens of thousands of Oregonians have sought unemployment benefits, but the workers vetting those claims worry the state Employment Department has not put strict enough measures into place to prevent them from getting the new coronavirus. The agency operates call centers in Bend and Beaverton. “We’re not getting treated the same as the public, and they expect us to help the public,” said Leslie Vincent, an adjudicator at the Beaverton call center. Adalia McDonald, a fraud investigator at the Bend call center, said workers there share cubicles in close quarters – not even 3 feet apart. The latest health guidance from state and federal officials says people should maintain at least 6 feet of distance from each other to avoid getting sick. McDonald said she has also raised concerns about the office’s ventilation system and the shared cubicles.

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday that all schools will remain closed indefinitely. Wolf also extended his order to stay at home to more counties – Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin and Schuylkill – and said the social distancing guidelines will be extended until April 30. “We’re going to keep our schools and businesses closed as long as we need to keep them closed to keep Pennsylvania safe. Right now, it isn’t safe,” he said. Under Wolf’s order, people in the 26 affected counties may leave their homes to work at a business that’s still open, go to the grocery store or pharmacy, visit a doctor, care for a relative, get outside to exercise or for several other reasons. COVID-19 cases reported by the state Health Department on Monday rose by 693 to nearly 4,100. There were 10 new deaths, bringing Pennsylvania’s total to 48.

Rhode Island

Providence: The state is using space at public colleges to set up coronavirus testing stations. The National Guard is setting up mobile testing sites in parking lots at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Warwick campus and at the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown. Testing at CCRI is expected to begin by the middle of the week. Testing at the National Guard’s site at the Plains Road parking lot on URI’s campus is scheduled to begin Tuesday. It will be by appointment only and is only available to prescreened patients who must show a form provided by their physician or the state Department of Health. The goal is to test 600 people per day.

South Carolina

Columbia: Whether all of the state should go under a stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus continued to be debated by cities and towns and by lawmakers at both the state and federal level Monday. The ultimate decider, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, did not weigh in Monday. He has said before that a stay-at-home order closing nonessential businesses like gyms and hair salons is on the table, but he won’t issue it until he sees data from state health officials supporting it. But plenty of others have offered their opinions. On Monday, Republican state House Speaker Jay Lucas said cities need to lay off issuing their own orders and trust the governor’s response to the coronavirus. Also Monday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, on quarantine in his Charleston home after contracting COVID-19, said the governor needs to issue a statewide stay-at-home order to end the uncertainty of beach communities that don’t want hundreds of outsiders visiting.

South Dakota

Sioux Falls: State health officials reported Monday that they have confirmed 101 cases of COVID-19, more than doubling the number of cases since Thursday. The South Dakota Department of Health says there are 11 new, confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The state health lab has also cleared a backlog of tests. Between the state lab and commercial labs, over 3,400 people have been tested. Gov. Kristi Noem doesn’t expect the number of infections to peak until at least May. State epidemiologist Josh Clayton says health officials are recommending tests for people only if they exhibit symptoms of the coronavirus and may have come into contact with someone with the disease. So far, 34 people in South Dakota have recovered after contracting the coronavirus, while one has died.

Tennessee

Nashville: Gov. Bill Lee on Monday issued a two-week statewide order closing nonessential businesses and telling Tennesseans to stay home in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The “safer at home” order, filed Monday afternoon, enacts similar restrictions put in place by mayors in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and governors in at least 30 other states. In recent days, some smaller cities in Tennessee have also implemented such orders. “This is not a mandated ‘shelter in place’ order because it remains deeply important to me to protect personal liberties,” Lee said at a Monday afternoon news briefing. The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday and lasts through April 14, during which time only essential businesses are to continue operating and residents are to stay home “as much as possible.” Another order filed Monday specifically orders the temporary closure of salons, spas, concert venues, theaters and other indoor recreational facilities.

Texas

Houston: A North Texas ambulance provider is partnering with health officials so that its paramedics can go into homes and perform coronavirus testing on previously screened patients. Specially trained paramedics with MedStar will be sent to homes of residents in Tarrant County who are being investigated by the county public health department as possibly having the virus and are under quarantine at home, said Matt Zavadsky, a spokesman for the ambulance provider. MedStar is a governmental entity that is the 911 ambulance provider for Fort Worth and 14 other cities in Tarrant County, located west of Dallas. The Tarrant County Public Health Department will provide MedStar with testing kits. Paramedics will go to a resident’s home, take a swab and deliver that to the health department, which will do the testing. The home testing visits are expected to last about 30 minutes, Zavadsky said.

Utah

Salt Lake City: Former speaker of the Utah House, auto executive and philanthropist Robert Garff died Sunday of complications from COVID-19, his daughter and the automotive group said. Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard, R-North Salt Lake, posted on Facebook: “My loving dad passed away peacefully today from COVID-19. He has lived a long and happy life, full of vigor and love for our state and our families.” Garff, 77, was the third Utah resident to die of the virus. Garff was a prominent Utah businessman and chairman of the Ken Garff Automotive Group, which was started by his family. He served as speaker of the Utah House from 1985 to 1987 and chaired the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Games. Ken Garff Automotive released a statement saying that Robert and his wife, Katharine, tested positive for the virus after driving back from Palm Springs, California.

Vermont

Montpelier: Gov. Phil Scott on Monday ordered anyone arriving in the state to self-quarantine for 14 days to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The governor’s order applies to both Vermonters and out-of-staters arriving for anything other than “an essential purpose.” The governor took the additional action after federal guidance that advised residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to refrain from nonessential domestic travel for 14 days. “We need everyone entering Vermont to be a good neighbor and abide by the self-isolation directive and then to follow afterward the stay-home, stay-safe order,” Scott said during his regular Monday briefing. He said the order does not apply to people who are going to the grocery store or who work across the border.

Virginia

Richmond: The governor on Monday ordered all higher education institutions to stop any in-person instruction amid the coronavirus pandemic, a move likely directed at Liberty University. The evangelical college in Lynchburg led by President Jerry Falwell Jr. has faced intense criticism over its decision to welcome students back to campus last week after the end of their spring break. The vast majority of classes have been moved online, but the university has said publicly that in-person instruction was necessary for a few select courses. “We are currently reviewing what the governor said but aren’t able to make a comment at this moment,” Liberty spokesman Scott Lamb said. Falwell, one of President Donald Trump’s earliest and most ardent high-profile supporters, has generally characterized concerns about the virus as overblown. He has accused the news media of stoking fear and suggesting coverage has been politically motivated to hurt the president.

Washington

Seattle: Firefighters and first responders in the state are seeking donations of protective gear and asking the public to be honest about their symptoms when they call for help so that workers can prepare. People may not be forthcoming or truthful about their condition and fail to report a fever or cough when they call 911. For this reason, all EMS workers in Seattle are responding to calls with full protective gear, including masks, gloves and gowns, said Kristin Tinsley, spokeswoman for Seattle fire department. Six Seattle firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19, and 86 have been through isolation or quarantine since the outbreak began in February, she said. Eastside Fire and Rescue in Issaquah is conducting a message campaign to let people know they will respond to calls for help regardless of the person’s symptoms, Capt. Steve Johnson said Monday. “If we know you have symptoms, we can prepare to help stop the spread of the virus,” he said. “We have the protective gear, so we’re not going to not respond to a call.”

West Virginia

Charleston: The state reported its first death linked to the new coronavirus pandemic Sunday. The fatality involved an 88-year-old woman from Marion County, the Department of Health and Human Resources said in a news release. The statement said the death was confirmed through the Marion County Health Department and United Hospital Center. “I ask all West Virginians to join Cathy and I in praying for the family, friends, and loved ones of this individual,” Gov. Justice said in a statement. “It is truly a sad day in West Virginia.” West Virginia was the last U.S. state to report a confirmed case, on March 17, a fact attributed by Justice to a lack of testing. It also was among the last states to report a death. Justice, a Republican, has repeatedly warned of the virus’s potential damage in a state where about 20% of the population is 65 or older, and a high percentage of people have existing health problems. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that West Virginia has the nation’s highest percentage of adults at risk of developing serious illnesses from the virus.

Wisconsin

Madison: The state is preparing to open field hospitals and voluntary isolation centers in anticipation of a surge in COVID-19 patients, with cases expected to peak in another week or more, Gov. Tony Evers and state health leaders said Monday. “We are headed into the worst of this, folks,” Evers said on a conference call. “I’m sure many of us would like to wake up from this nightmare tomorrow morning and say it never happened. But the responsible thing is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” There had been more than 1,200 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections in the state as of Monday, with 20 deaths, based on state and local health department numbers. Andrea Palm, secretary of the state Department of Health Services, said the effects that the stay-at-home order have had on the spread of the disease won’t be seen until next week at the earliest. “We really do believe it’s another 10-plus days before were going to see evidence of a flattening off of the new daily cases,” she said.

Wyoming

Casper: The Wyoming Board of Medicine is warning physicians against hoarding and misusing a pair of drugs touted as potential treatments for the coronavirus, its executive director said. Kevin Bohnenblust told the Casper Star-Tribune the board met after hearing reports that physicians were writing prescriptions for family and friends for medications usually used to treat malaria, lupus and arthritis. “(The board is) saying, ‘We need to take this seriously; if you’re inappropriately prescribing this and giving it to people who aren’t symptomatic, that’s a violation of the (medical practice), act and we’ll take action,’ ” Bohnenblust said. The two drugs – chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine – were shown to be effective in a limited study in Europe, and they are being studied in the U.S., but physicians have cautioned against writing prescriptions for the drugs before the science supports it.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Travel restrictions, activities for kids: News from around our 50 states