Kansas City mayor declares state of emergency in effort to slow coronavirus spread
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas declared a state of emergency in the city Thursday to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.
The declaration is in effect for three weeks.
A news release from the city said Lucas made the decision with the city's health department director and emergency medical services director.
“We’re working diligently across departments to prevent potential spread – and we’re asking our community members and business owners to do their part in helping to prevent potential spread,” Lucas said.
Under the state of emergency, the city government may evacuate certain areas, order businesses to shut down and issue curfews. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the mayor had not made any such orders.
The move was among many taken in Missouri in the past two days to slow the spread of COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
MU canceled some in-person classes Wednesday, the classes won't meet until after Sunday, when they will take place only online. The SEC also canceled its men's and women's basketball tournaments Thursday.
The World Health Organization declared a global pandemic Wednesday. Later in the day, President Donald Trump announced travel restrictions meant to stop COVID-19's spread.
More than 1,000 people have tested positive for the virus nationwide, with more than 30 deaths. So far only one person in Missouri has tested positive -- a woman from St. Louis County who recently returned from Italy.
