WILMINGTON, Del. — Delaware’s governor issued an order Sunday telling out-of-state visitors to self-quarantine for two weeks.
The order by Gov. John Carney takes effect Monday morning and 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 say there are more than 200 coronavirus cases and 31 hospitalizations as of Sunday morning.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Earlier in the day, the state Department of Health and Social Services said in a news release that six residents of a memory care unit at HarborChase of Wilmington have tested positive for coronavirus and that five are hospitalized. Previously, state health officials had announced the coronavirus-related death of an 86-year-old man and six other positive cases at Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence in Newark. The health department said one more person has tested positive.
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