Maine institutes 'stay healthy at home' order during coronavirus outbreak

KEY POINTS

• Maine became the latest state Tuesday to order residents to remain at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
• It joins New York, New Jersey, California and Washington — all among the hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19 — in limiting residents' movements to curb the virus' spread. 
• The U.S. counts the most coronavirus cases of any country, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with more than 184,100 confirmed cases of the virus and at least 3,700 deaths. 

Maine became the latest state Tuesday to order residents to remain at home during the coronavirus pandemic. It joins New York, New Jersey, California and Washington — all among the hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19 — in limiting residents' movements to curb the virus' spread. 

The U.S. counts the most coronavirus cases of any country, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, with more than 184,100 confirmed cases of the virus and at least 3,700 deaths. 

With more than half of states instituting stay-at-home orders, more restrictions are expected in the near future.

Maine issues executive order to stay at home

Governor Janet Mills answers questions, during a press conference on February 21,2019 at the Portland Jetport.

Carl D. Walsh | Portland Press Herald | Getty Images

Maine residents will now have to remain at home under Gov. Janet Mills' "Stay Healthy at Home" mandate. The executive order goes into effect at 12:01 am on April 2 and will last until at least April 30. 

"We are in the midst of one of the greatest public health crises this world has seen in more than a century," Mills said in a statement. "This virus will continue to sicken people across our state; our cases will only grow, and more people will die."

The order also introduced new restrictions, including prohibiting the use of public transportation unless for an essential reason and extending the termination of in-person classroom instruction until at least May 1. Essential businesses that are allowed to remain open must limit the number of customers in their buildings and have people maintain a distance of six feet apart from each other. 

Residents will still be allowed to leave their homes to obtain essential food and medicine as well as for exercise and other reasons. 

Maine has 303 cases of the coronavirus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.