Michigan stay-at-home order extended through June 12

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fri, 22 May 2020 23:00:38 GMT

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LANSING — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday extended the state’s stay-at-home order by slightly more than two weeks, through June 12, while keeping theaters, gyms, and other places of public accommodation closed until at least then.

A day after a judge ruled in her favor in a lawsuit filed by the Republican-led Legislature, the governor also extended her emergency declaration through June 19.

Both the stay-at-home measure and state of emergency had been scheduled to expire late next Thursday.

“While the data show that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet. If we’re going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home,” said Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat.

The state on Friday reported 5,158 confirmed deaths because of coronavirus complications, the fourth-most of any state.

The daily death toll rose by 29, and new confirmed cases in the state increased by 403, to nearly 54,000 since the pandemic started.

Ms. Whitmer announced the extended stay-home directive to cap a week in which she cleared the way next week for medical and dental procedures that had been postponed and allowed groups of up to 10 people to gather.

Retailers can soon reopen by appointment, only.

Bars and restaurants remain closed to dine-in customers except in the Upper Peninsula and much of the northern Lower Peninsula, where they started reopening Friday at 50 percent capacity.

Meanwhile the state Department of Corrections finished testing all 38,000 prisoners for the virus.

More than 3,200 tested positive and about 18,300 were negative, with 16,500 test results pending. Sixty inmates have died of the disease.


Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speeks during a news conference in Lansing, Mich. on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

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